Arrow: Betrayal
by IronManSaidPinata
Summary: Ancient Desert clanwar AU. Al Saheem is the second son of Ra's Al Ghul. Felicity is the princess of Starling and betrothed to Al Saheem's older brother, Al Saher. When the unthinkable happens at a gathering, and the pair are bound together on a journey, what will happen? And what will be uncovered about a man that they both thought they knew well? (rated T for small fight scenes)
1. Chapter 1

Arrow: Betrayal

Pairing: Olicity

Side Pairings: Roy/Thea, Diggle/Lyla.

Notes/Warnings: Oliver is a part of the LOA in this. Anything in _italics_ surrounded by quotation marks is in another language, if not then they are meant as thoughts. People are not as old as they are in the show. Last thing so far, Al Saher is not Malcolm Merlyn. I will leave you to figure out who he is until the next chapter.(as if the names in the character list didn't give it away)

Summary: Ancient Desert AU. Surrounding the indoor city of Nanda Parbat is a desert spanning thousands of miles in every direction. Said desert is the land claim of a particular tribe of people called the League of Assassins. However, with such a tremendous country to rule, the age old leader of the country divided the nation into five pieces; two for his sons, two for his daughters, and the final controlling piece for him to keep in the center. As time lapsed, the sons who once were never to be separated distanced themselves from each other, almost never speaking, and when communication did occur, it was usually not done so without the raising of voices or violence. The eldest son has since pushed himself further away from his family and become cold towards everyone but his father and his newly betrothed. Something is not right, and everyone can feel it, so when the two people who perhaps knew and know the prince best come together, what will be uncovered?

Part 1 – The Youngest Prince

Felicity sat under the shade of a special parasol that had been made for her out of straw to keep the blisteringly intense sun off of her blonde and therefore easily burnt scalp. Handmaidens clad entirely in black were waving large fans made of palm fronds at her to keep her cool. She had told them repeatedly that it wasn't necessary for the sake of their health, but they had insisted telling her that they would be beheaded by either the King or the Prince if she were to get heat stroke. Felicity made a mental note to speak to her betrothed when they returned to his father's castle.

That was why she was here in the first place. She was the daughter of the lord of another clan in another country. She had been taught about the deal as soon as she was old enough to understand. Nearly two hundred years before, the King of the Assassins had made a deal with her own ancestor. The King had allowed his youngest and most beloved daughter to marry the oldest prince of her family's territory, as a peace treaty and for love. However, the King of Assassins struck a deal and said that once conditions were right once more, the pact would be enacted again and the Lord of Starling would be forced give his youngest daughter to the son of the King of Assassins in order to keep the peace between the two lands.

And never had the conditions merited the actions as much as they had at that time. A terrible threat had just been vanquished in Starling, leaving the nation in the throes of chaos and a food shortage. It was no time to start a war. So she had been handed over to the Assassins.

Admittedly, they took the utmost care of her, giving her everything she could have ever wanted for and more; as did Al Saher, her betrothed. While he could be distant and cruel at times, he was exceedingly gentle with her, even if it was a bit forced. He wore a bright smile whenever he saw her, speaking to her in a soft and kind voice. He had yet to be unkind to or hit her and Felicity found herself wondering if perhaps this was what was best, not just for her people, but for herself as well. She had a man who cared for her, a people who would adore her, and perhaps the largest store of knowledge in the history of man directly at her fingertips.

She sighed as she watched her betrothed play a game of desert polo with some of the other assassins who knew how. He rode a beautiful and graceful black Arabian stallion with a small regal head and long legs which carried him far and swiftly during battle as well as during a game. His two sisters, Talia and Nyssa watched on as he swung his pole around and batted the ball towards the goal. The blue tails of the sash around his waist whipped around in the dry desert breeze as he evaded the other players.

Suddenly, Felicity felt a strange vibrating in her ears. She frowned, her now perfectly threaded eyebrows scrunching downward, and looked around. It sounded like thunder, but the sky was a clear bright blue. What could the noise be though? She heard one of her handmaidens on her right gasp, not in fright, but in excitement. She looked over to see that the girl had finally stopped fanning and was covering her mouth with her hand, brown eyes wide. The other handmaidens quickly seemed to pick up on what she saw, but Felicity remained in the dark about it.

"What is it Jannali? What do you see?" she asked the girl, turning and craning her neck to see past the fence and cliff barriers that had been set up as a viewing box for the soon to be princess. All she saw was sand.

"Milady, forgive me. The last prince has arrived with his entourage," she replied, bowing her head in respect. Felicity stood from the seat given her and stepped over to the rail so she could see, waving her handmaidens over.

"You are free to speak as you may wish," she said so transfixed on the nearing cloud of dust and dark figures in front of it that the sound of her handmaidens babbling excitedly like schoolgirls became mere background noise. It was obviously a small caravan of horses and riders galloping at top speed to their location. Soon, they were no longer just shadows on the horizon, but they grew into distinct figures and soon, they were passing below her, never slowing down. At last, one bay stallion of undetermined breed shot forward with a sudden burst of speed. Over the thunder of pounding hooves, she heard his masked rider urging him forward with loud shouts of "SI SI SI!"

From off the side of his saddle, he pulled a silver and black polo staff of his own and spun it in a circle a few times before he swung it low in the goal and hit the ball with a loud smack. It flew through the air, whizzing past the muzzle of her betrothed's stallion, causing it to rear back and neigh in surprise.

The man on the bay stallion laughed as he passed by Al Saher. Felicity could see all the weapons he was laden with. A sword was in a scabbard on his back, an arrow was slung around his body, and a quiver hung from both his back above the scabbard and from the saddle of his horse. With one hand gripping the reins tightly, he swung at the polo ball again, trying to make it across the playing area while everyone was still shocked at his entrance.

The only one who did not remain stagnant was Al Saher. He reined his horse into shape and then shot off in the direction of the challenging man. Though her betrothed was wearing a mask as well, she did not have to see his face to know that he was angry. The way he kicked his horse, urged it on, constantly telling it to go faster and asking for 210%, she knew he was furious. Al Saher was never like that under normal circumstances. But then again, she had never seen him inside his throne room.

Wanting to get a closer look, she charged through the gate that blocked her way out of the viewing box and down the cliff path that led to where he two sisters in law stood. They watched with no small amount of worry written on their faces. Nyssa, the younger of the two, was the first to spot Felicity. Her eyes were wide in surprise and worry.

"Felicity, you should not be here, my sister," she said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Felicity turned to look at the slightly older woman. The words were warm, but sounded harsh when said in Nyssa's chilled voice. She knew that over the months, she had earned a place in each member of the royal family's hearts, so it was not meant as a warning or threat. Talia was next to speak up.

"They are fighting again. It is hard to remember a time when those two were not at odds," she said quietly, a saddened look on her face. Talia, though older, was perhaps the kinder of the two. She was a mother and a wife to a loyal son and husband whom Felicity had had the honor of meeting several months back.

"I agree, sister. Though that time is long past, they should not fight on the grounds of Nanda Parbat. Father will be displeased if they start a fight at what is to be a peaceful occasion," Nyssa added, turning to her sister. Talia bit her lower lip for a moment before turning to one of the guards on her left.

"Al Owal, go and tell Father that his Hands fight with one another," she ordered. The man nodded and hurried up the Cliffside to reach the large structure serving as a palace and city to those living there. Felicity and Nyssa watched him go while Talia worriedly watched as Al Saher began to catch up to the offender.

"No one challenges the Demon," she said quietly. Felicity knew that Talia and Nyssa's father-Ra's Al Ghul- was nearly two hundred years old and looked not a day over fifty. He was also the most dangerous and feared man to walk the Earth. Even more so than his father before him. And now he had sons and daughters. However, only one would be worthy enough to succeed him. So far it seemed that Al Saher was to be the worthy one.

She turned her head and watched as her betrothed caught up to the man on the bay horse who was lining up his final shot into the goal. Her beloved let go of the reins on his horse and launched himself from the saddle into the man on his left with a roar. The man grunted, dropping his polo stick, and the two tumbled to the ground. Two guards watching the whole exchange turned their horses and chased after the spooked ones still running side by side.

When the dust from the original fall cleared, more was kicked up as the men wrestled like a pair of vicious lions on the ground, throwing skilled punches at one another, avoiding the use of weapons. The bounced off of each other, like two moose locking horns and pushing each other away with about the same force. It almost looked like gravity had no hold on either of them and the whole ordeal was like a deadly dance. They would jump at one another, practically lunging for each other's throats, and one would swat the other back like a fly.

Both knew what they were doing, and both were equally matched. Finally, the fist fight reached a crescendo and they both went for their weapons of choice. Al Saher grabbing his swords and his challenger reaching for the intricate metal bow and an arrow. Felicity's mind was screaming at her to move, to rush forward, to stop them, to do **something**! But her feet remained planted in the sand where she stood and her eyes fixed on the two titans in front of her. Just as her beloved ran at the offender, another roar building, one word made him skid to a halt and look like a frightened dog with his proverbial tail between his legs.

"**_ENOUGH!_**"

Felicity jumped, still not used to her father-in-law's commanding and frightening voice. She looked up to see him standing above her in the green, blue, black, and gold robe. He had obviously been in the middle of preparing for the celebration that evening because his salt and pepper hair was still wet from having to get out of a bath. She, along everyone else present, dropped to one knee and crossed her arm over her chest, bowing her head in respect.

He made his way down the rest of the path until he stood between Felicity, Nyssa, and Talia, and the two men fighting on the polo grounds. She could tell that they were both sweating, and it wasn't because of the boiling sun. Ra's sighed, shaking his head and raising his eyes towards the sky.

"Why must my two sons fight on the day of the celebration of peace? A day with no responsibilities. You should all be happy, not quarreling like dogs over a piece of meat. Forget your past transgressions for 24 hours and you can two can go back to hating each other again tomorrow. This is a special day, and I do not wish to have it spoiled by two young men who simply do not like each other."

When Ra's was finished, the men nodded and bowed. Then they put their weapons away and trailed after Ra's as he came to speak with Felicity and his daughters.

"Ah, my girls. You have stayed away for far too long, all three of you!" he said, a happy side of Ra's making an appearance. "Unfortunately, one of you does not have a husband approving of much travel." Felicity smiled remembering that her future father-in-law was not just a cruel killer, as she had found out after staying with the family for a few weeks. They each had personalities and wide ranges of emotion. Ra's reached out and grabbed her in a head lock with one arm and pulled her to him. She found she was not the only one who couldn't breathe as he had also grabbed Talia and Nyssa. He released them after a moment and Felicity had to gather her breath. Immediately, she felt hands on her shoulders and a shadow fall over her.

"Felicity! Are you alright?" he asked. She looked up to see the tanned face, messy raven hair, and worried brown eyes of her betrothed. She gave a nod and a smile before a shadow fell over them both. It was the challenger from before. He wore a green sash around his waist with the golden crest of the 3rd city on his belt and shoulders. A green scarf was tied around his neck and the only visible parts of his body were his hands and eyes. His eyes which were narrowed down at her and, apparently, her betrothed. She felt the urge to get between them and she balled her fists in anger. But she remembered her place, as well as Ra's' rage if she started something and put her anger back in its place.

"Al Saheem!"

She saw Talia run over to the man who quickly jumped off of his stallion's back and ran to her, picking her up in a hug and twirling her around, a laugh erupting from both of them.

"Talia my sister, you are as beautiful as ever! Tell me again, does your husband know just how fortunate he is to have you for a wife? Speaking of which, where is Bruce?" he said spitting out pleasantries and sounding like quite a conversationalist. Talia giggled like a young girl and hugged him back.

"Bruce was feeling a bit ill after having to fight off a horde of bees that a traitor had placed in his quarters. He is alright and the traitor is dead by my blade, but he is unable to attend tonight," she replied happily. The man nodded.

"And little Damian? He must be, what, four? Five? By now?"

"He's making the climb!"

"The climb?! Talia that is news! I shall pray for his success!"

Felicity couldn't believe what was happening in front of her. The man who had appeared so vicious and frightening one moment was suddenly acting like a stiff child. He moved to Nyssa, the youngest of the four siblings from what Felicity could gather, and the pair did something resembling a secret handshake which involved a few fist bumps, punches, and a headlock.

For the first time since she had been introduced to Nyssa as her brother's betrothed, Nyssa smiled. A real, genuine smile.

"And how is my youngest sister?"

"Your youngest sister is well. You can rest well knowing that I still live."

"You make it sound like a bad thing."

If she put Al Saher out of the picture, it looked like a happy family reunion. But when she looked back at her beloved, his features were set into a deep and stony frown, his hands were clenched into fists, and he seemed to be generally as furious as before. She reached out and took his hand giving him a reassuring smile and nod. His frown gave way and he smiled a bit. The guard that had retrieved his horse rode up to them and offered him the reins. Al Saher took them and helped Felicity onto the creature's back. Then he climbed up in front of her and turned the horse around.

"Father, I suggest we enter Nanda Parbat. The crowds will have assembled for our arrival by now, and it would be best if you led us in," Al Saher suggested. Ra's turned to them and gave a nod.

"I thought that you would want something of that accord. Al Owal has arrived with my horse. We shall ride. Inform your entourages that we will be leaving," Ra's replied with a nod.

Everyone present besides Felicity nodded and she was soon riding off with Al Saher to speak to the Assassins who had accompanied them to Nanda Parbat. Though her mind drifted and her gaze wandered over to where Ra's' other son was speaking to his compatriots. There were three men and two women with him. One man was alone, slightly away from the group, but near enough to be a part of it. Another was an archer, and one of the women-the younger looking one-was on his arm it seemed. The other was an older man, large but fit, and the other woman seemed to be with him. That meant that the second prince had no princess yet. Or it just meant that he had left her at his home. Peace celebrations were being held everywhere.

She didn't even know his name.

It was true that Talia had called him something, but she wasn't entirely sure what. She would have to ask later, as well as why she never heard about this man. No one, not Talia, not Nyssa, definitely not Al Saher, and not even Ra's had mentioned a word about him other than another son existed.

Suddenly, they were on their way. She wrapped her arms around her betrothed's chest and rested her head on his shoulder. She knew they were trailing behind Ra's, but she didn't know right away that the other son was riding mere meters away from her. When she did realize who was riding beside her, she watched him while he wasn't looking by pretending to be asleep. If she had learned anything, it was that an assassin heir to Ra's Al Ghul had eyes everywhere. He probably knew that she wasn't actually asleep and that she was watching him.

However, he paid no mind as they rode into the city streets of Nanda Parbat. Music was playing and people were cheering and clapping excitedly as the royal family came through. The music began to crescendo when they reached the palace and dancers began to wave ribbons about in the air as they flipped and spun through their routines.

When the entire family reached the steps to the throne, they dismounted their horses and each climbed the steps. Felicity followed her betrothed and he held her close to him, his arm around her shoulders. She looked to see the other son, still masked, standing across from her. Ra's strode up between his children and stopped at the throne sitting at the head of the stairs. He turned around in a flourish of his robe and raised his hands to silence the cheering crowd.

"Let the Celebration of Peace begin!"

The crowds once again roared with excitement. Felicity fought the urge to cover her ears from the sound. Even in Starling, no one had ever been this enthusiastic about the Day of Peace. She was under the impression that this was because the Assassins never got a break until today. Today was as Ra's said, "a day with no responsibilities." All the high-ranking assassins were present in Nanda Parbat, and during the celebration, all weapons made a disappearing act until the following morning.

It promised to be the most interesting party she had ever attended.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2 – Who is He?

After a few hours of preparation, her handmaidens finally deemed her ready to enter the celebration. Her wavy golden tresses were now straightened and tamed. Two strands at the fore were pulled back and tied behind her head, and she was given a long skirt of black, green, blue, and gold. Her top, which covered just halfway down her stomach, was blue, in honor of the Second City, her new home. Golden bracers were placed on her arms and bangles on her ankles. Since barefoot was a thing, she wasn't wearing shoes.

As her handmaidens disappeared into the shadows to prepare themselves, she sighed a little apprehensively. This was her first celebration as the princess of the Second City. All of this was totally new to her. The love and respect that the people of Starling had so readily given her as the princess was all for naught here; she would have to work harder, much harder, at earning the people's admiration and adoration.

The moment her handmaidens were done getting ready, she was being ushered out the door and navigated through the hallways until they reached the main indoor training room. She sucked in a breath before straightening her back and evening out her shoulders and stepping to the wooden balcony above next to the staircase leading to the main level.

"All rise for Princess Felicity of Starling, betrothed to the honorable Prince Al Sa-Her, Lord of the Second City!"

Everyone looked up, the crowd silencing immediately. They all stood out of due respect for the next Princess. She took a breath and moved down the stairs, thinking graceful thoughts. In all truth, poise was not overall her strong suit. She had been lax on those studies to create more time for the ones that she personally found more useful, such as the studies of science, mathematics, and technology development.

She moved through the silent crowd, which had parted for her to pass through. She found Al Sa-Her standing on his father's left beside a table. However, the seat beside his was taken. She was ushered to the opposite side of the table to where Nyssa and Talia sat. Nyssa moved over to the last seat and Felicity sat in the center.

"All bow for Prince Al Sahim, Lord of the Third City!"

Felicity looked up remembering the man from earlier had been called Al Sahim. She squinted, but didn't bow because Talia held her arm out in front of her to keep her from doing so. Evidently, she had walked further than she thought, because she couldn't make out his features. He wore a robe like Ra's and Al Saher's though his had the crest of his city on both shoulders. However, he raised his hand to excuse the crowd and simply walked away from the balcony, leaving the people to return to their conversations and laughter.

_So he's not going to eat with us_? Felicity wondered. She watched him walk around the upper hallway, nodding at those who he seemed to know. She sat down again, but then bit her lip and blushed when she remembered that she probably shouldn't show an interest in the man. So instead, she sat and listened to the conversation floating around the table, contributing when her thoughts or opinion was asked or someone engaged her in conversation.

But that didn't stop her mind from wandering just a bit.

~oOo~

Sahim made his way through the upper corridors of the training center, looking for any sign of Dar Sina'a, Sofian, or Sarab. He at last found the latter leaning against a column with his arms crossed and head down. He walked over and put his hand on the man's shoulder.

"Sarab, you should be enjoying the celebration. Go see Tatsu and Akio. I'm sure they would be thrilled to see you," he suggested. Sarab looked up at him humorlessly.

"No they wouldn't."

"Yes they would. You know she would."

Sarab gave him a resentful look, knowing full well that Sahim was right. He huffed and pulled forward off of the column, making his way through the strains of people milling about the corridor. Sahim forced a more cheerful countenance to overtake his features, making him appear happy to see all those who passed him. His gaze drifted down to the table where the rest of the royal family sat, along with their honored guest, Al Aziz of the Fourth City. He had to wonder about the beautiful princess sitting between his sisters. From what had been announced, she was his older brother's betrothed. A daughter of Starling, her time in the desert made her tan and her hair a golden yellow from days spent in the sun.

She truly looked like a desert flower.

He shook the thoughts off and continued his rounds above the party, greeting guests under his façade of a carefree and cheerful prince like he always did. He remembered a time when being happy at gatherings wasn't so forced. Back before his brother hated him. Before his mother died.

He released a sigh to dispel the unwanted thought train and continued walking. He came across his younger half-sister and one of his closest friends, Dar Sina'a and Thea, standing by the balcony. Their arms were linked together and Thea had her head resting on his shoulder while they watched and laughed at the people below them. An honest smile spread across his face and he walked up behind them.

"Hi there."

Both kids jumped and he laughed, amused. Roy frowned while Thea laughed along with Sahim before he received a punch in the arm for being a "party pooper." He rubbed his arm, a grudging smile coming on his face.

"What are you doing up here Al Sahim?"

"Just making sure that you don't get into any trouble. Remember, she's my half-sister."

Dar Sina'a seemed to take Sahim's mock threat seriously as his jaw worked and he swallowed almost imperceptibly.

"Calm down, I was only joking."

Roy released a sigh and put his palm to his forehead. Thea was laughing again at her beloved's worried nature.

"I agree with Ollie. Besides, if he wasn't I would defend you against him."

Roy looked put out with them both, crossing his arms and pouting. Sahim heard a deep laugh come from behind him and turned to see Sofian and Lyla walking past. They walked over to them, both of them wearing smiles of pure joy. It was the Celebration of Peace, but goodness, they looked ecstatic.

"What's with the really happy faces you two?" Thea asked, a suspicious smile on her face.

Dig spoke up first, "Lyla is with child. The physicians believe it will be a girl."

Immediately, everything was handshakes and hugs all around. Happiness abounded from their corner of the room. After a few moments, the married couple meandered off to tell Lyla's family, and Sahim moved off to complete his rounds downstairs.

He stepped up behind people seated at tables and asked them how they were enjoying everything and that it was a pleasure to see them again, though he didn't remember half of their names. Finally, the last table to visit in the room was his father's. Said father caught his eye and ushered him over. His brother didn't seem to notice and Oliver was grateful that the honored guest sat between their seats.

He thought over his father's words from before. "This is a special day, and I do not wish to have it spoiled by two young men who simply do not like each other."

But it was so much more than that.

~oOo~

When he came down the stairs, Felicity was of course the first person to notice. She had been watching his approach from the corner of her eye for the last half hour. He walked from table to table, taking his time to talk to guests and laugh with them, seeing how they were enjoying things. He patted one last guest on the shoulder, a smile spreading across his face. He then proceeded to approach the men's side of the table and took his seat beside Al Aziz.

"Al Sahim, my son, where have you been?" his father asked, fisting his hands and resting his chin on them. Sahim smiled.

"I was speaking to our guests as it is polite to do so," he replied calmly yet bluntly, leaning forward over the table to look at his father. His brother was working his jaw angrily and she knew that he wanted to add his two cents to the conversation.

Their father nodded at his excuse to show his approval for it but then jumped into something else entirely.

"Ah, Al Sahim, you have not yet met your new sister. Al Saher is engaged to the princess of Starling now. Felicity, meet my youngest son, Al Sahim. He is ruler of the Third City." Ra's seemed pleased enough to introduce them, but she could see in his eyes that he was gauging their reactions to one another. Al Sahim gave a nod to her that was as close a thing to a bow that she was going to get. The man looked more intimidating up close, even without weapons.

She nodded in return to him and said, "It is good to meet the brother of my betrothed. Though I have not heard much about you, admittedly." The table lapsed into silence after that, a few words spoken by Ra's here and there to each party did not do much to spark conversation like the kind floating around them from the other tables. Each course of the meal was served and eaten in silence. Finally, Al Saher stood up, rather violently and excused himself. Soon afterwards, Al Aziz got up and, after apologizing, moved off towards the people from his city. Clearing his throat, Al Sahim let quickly as well and disappeared into the crowd. When she looked back at Ra's, he seemed to not be looking well.

"Talia, I feel a bit ill. Please help me to my chambers, I think I will retire for the night," he said, standing from the floor. Felicity watched Talia get up and walk with her father back to his chambers. When she reappeared, she headed off to mingle with the crowd. That left Felicity with Nyssa. She spotted Al Sahim standing and leaning on a rail on the upper floor.

"So what's the story with Al Saher and his brother?" she asked Nyssa whose head shot up and looked around like a deer caught in an archer's sights. She looked away again and seemed to debate something with herself. Finally, she stood up and grabbed Felicity's wrist.

"Come with me," she whispered, "It's not safe here." With that, she led a questioning Felicity out of the dining hall and into one of the indoor city's pathways. She took a few turns and entered at least four rooms before finding one that was empty and that she deemed worthy enough to speak to her in. She sat down cross-legged on the floor and motioned for Felicity to do the same. Nyssa seemed to think for a moment, to gather her words, choosing them carefully.

"It started several years ago," she began, "I'm not even sure if the story I heard is true, but I will tell you what I know. When all four of us were children, Al Saher and Al Sahim were the closest of friends. Brothers in more than just blood. Both of them were groomed from an early age to take on the mantle of the Demon's Head. However, knowing that only one of them could ascend to the throne did not separate them. At least not right away.

"When Al Saher was 14 and Al Sahim was 13, it became apparent that the two boys were drifting apart. Al Saher wanted father's title, but father had chosen Al Sahim. I do not remember many details of the time as it was many years ago, but it came to Father's attention that Al Sahim was an illegitimate child by his mother and another man. He was banished to the Third city and not allowed to return with Father's blessing except on the Day of Peace. Father still loves him and sees him as the best choice for an heir, though Al Saher is smart and fast thinking. This makes your beloved jealous."

When Nyssa had finished the story, Felicity finally understood why tensions ran high when Al Sahim showed up both outside and at dinner. Feeling tired, she and Nyssa walked back to her quarters where, once alone, she got ready to for bed early and went to sleep. She slept like a person drugged until the following morning.

What she awoke to was somewhat less than pleasant.

**A/N: Well, this was a fun chapter to write, kinda boring though. Anyway, just wanted to mention that Dar Sina'a and Sofian are Arabic names (I think). Named Roy Dar Sina'a because it means Arsenal and named Dig Sofian because he is devoted to Oliver (Sofian means devoted). Couldn't think of names for Thea and Lyla so Thea will be referred to as Artemis and Lyla is just Lyla. Sarab is of course Maseo, and he will be referred to as such later on. Okay, now that that's over with, just want to say thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, faved, and followed this story! I'm glad it got something of a following. I mean, I looked at it 3 hours after posting it and saw I had like 20 notices after publishing!**

**READ + REVIEW = MORE CHAPTERS!**

**Cya next Sunday, guys!**


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3 – Wanted

**A/N: Okay, someone asked in a review of the last chapter (Thank you by the way) if Oliver's name was Al Sahim or Oliver or both in this story. It is both, everything will get explained about Oliver in the next few chapters or so. This isn't gonna be a huge fic, but it will probably have 10 or so chapters to it. I'm glad you all like this!**

Felicity opened her eyes to sunlight streaming in through the hexagonal panes of glass in the window nearest her bed. She felt groggy and couldn't really collect her thoughts right away. To help, she stretched her arms out and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms before sitting up. It felt like she was having a mild hangover from the night before. As should everyone else.

However, once she was perceptive of the world around her, she could hear a quite din coming from outside. It sounded like shouting and swords clashing as well as lots of running. She also noticed another anomaly. Her normally ever-present handmaidens were nowhere to be seen and her room was strangely eerie. She rolled out of her bed and walked over to her closet and pulled out the blue silk dress that Al Saher had gotten her as a gift when he had returned from a visit to the First City, which had a bustling silk trade for citizens. She then walked to the door and pulled it open glancing out into the hallway just as a single file line of assassins ran past. She heard her betrothed's voice down the hall as he strode around the corridor.

"Al Saher, what's going on?" she asked him, noticing a small cut on his face. He stopped next to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Something's happened Felicity, father is dead, poisoned," he told her, as much emotion in his eyes as she expected. That was just slightly more than a rock. She on the other hand was shocked. Ra's had always seemed so…indestructible. She just stood there, her mouth open for a couple moments before Al Saher shook her.

"Felicity, I need you to stay here in your room. The killer is on the loose and he's been seen heading this way," he told her, concern written on his face. Once again, she felt that she was fortunate to have him for a betrothed as he always seemed to care for her more than anyone. She just had one question.

"Did you find the killer? Do you know who it is?" she asked, her voice shaking. Al Saher frowned, his face darkening.

"Yes. It was Al Sahim. He used the position afforded him by being Father's favorite to get close and poison father while he slept."

Felicity didn't believe him. Despite the fact that she had barely spoken 20 words to the man, she didn't feel like he could do something like that. Of course, even though she was betrothed to Al Saher, she still didn't know very much about him or his past. She nodded and stepped back into her room and gave him a small smile before she shut the door behind her and made her way back to her bed where she sat on the edge and bit her nails as she waited for everything to be over.

~oOo~

Waking up long before the sun, Al Sahim had been training with Sarab. Both of them had gotten into their usual pattern of sparring, meaning that Sahim would get into his zone where he thought and fought at the same time, not saying a word, and Sarab silently provided the targets of his blows and countered them to keep him focused. It was when they started using swords that things got a little haywire and Sahim got a few new cuts.

He saw that the sun had come up and took a seat against the wall at the edge of the training room. Sarab sat down beside him, eyes holding a glimmer that wasn't usually there. He knew immediately what was up with his friend.

"Did you see Tatsu last night, Maseo?" he asked, fighting a knowing smile that threatened to appear on his face. Maseo looked at him, allowing a smile to shine through.

"Yes."

"And? Is Akio going to have a younger sibling?"

Maseo chuckled.

"We don't know yet."

It was Al Sahim's turn to laugh at his friend's surprising sense of humor. It was clear that he was glad to have seen his wife. And maybe his son. He was glad for his friends and happy that they could see their families and loved ones, if only for one day.

His smile disappeared when the high windows of the training room imploded and assassins poured in, weapons at the ready and pointing at him. Striding through the center came his dark-haired brother, Al Saher.

"Brother, what has happened?" Sahim questioned him. His weapons were on the other side of the room and there was no way he could get to them without getting seriously injured or killed in the process depending on the intent of the assassins around him. He shifted his weight into a more desirable stance in the event that a battle should take place. Al Saher stopped a few paces away from him and folded his hands behind his back.

"Father is dead. Killed in his sleep by a deadly poison…perhaps given to him in his drink," he said. Saher didn't have to elaborate to get his point across to his brother. Sahim growled in response, his face contorting into a grimace.

"It wasn't me, Saher. I did not kill father," he said, enunciating each word to make himself clear. No mistake about it, the last ten years of his life had made him a dangerous man. Judging by the sheer amount of force that Al Saher had amassed before him. However, Al Saher didn't appear to be at all intimidated by his stance. He stood, back straight, hands clasped firmly behind him.

_Proper_, Sahim thought to himself, making the man even more irksome in his mind. He straightened as well, though he remained ready to fight. It was right around then that Saher smiled and stepped back into the wall of ninjas behind him.

"Take him in," he ordered. Immediately, the ninjas went into their stances and moved to attack the Prince of the Second City. He himself just stood there, watching them for a moment before sighing as if taking them down would be a small task easily accomplished. Some of them, including Al Aziz the great warrior who was among them, took it with offense and charged him. He blocked every attack by sword with his bare hands and arms, removing all the driving force behind the strikes. He caught nearly every arrow that flew at him, dodging most of the others. He systematically incapacitated every single man or woman in the room before climbing out of the training pit and hurrying to his quarters.

Almost as an afterthought, he stopped short just before he turned the last corner that led to the hallway which his room was located off of. He peered around the corner, careful to not even breathe too loud. He grimaced when he saw that his suspicions were confirmed. A pair of League guards stood by his door, their spears in hand. He cursed in his head as he tried to figure out how to get around them without killing them.

He ran down the hall, making sure to run far and loudly enough for them to hear him. When he heard them start to approach, he jumped up into the rafters, leaning into the dark wall where they wouldn't see him. He watched them pass, look up briefly, then keep going. They hadn't seen him, but he heard one of them say, "We must find Al Saher."

As soon as their footsteps had faded into the distance, he dropped from the rafters and ran silently down the hall to his room and unlocked his door, slipping silently inside. He found his knapsack and began to strip off his current clothes. He started strapping his armor on over some black assassin clothes. Just as he finished strapping on his pauldron, someone started banging on his door. He pulled his helmet on and then looked around for an escape.

_The trap door!_ He ran for the other side of the room, pushing in on the wall. Spending five years in something akin to hell had made him paranoid enough to have the door installed for his use, connecting to another door out in a hall. He disappeared through the gaping hole and into the cool darkness of the tunnel. The door shut behind him by itself, melding with the rest of the wall.

Dragging his hand against the wall for guidance in the dark, he followed the wall all the way to the other end. He took his helmet off once again and pressed his ear and hand to the wooden wall. Feeling and hearing nothing besides the far off grunts and bangs coming from where Al Saher and his men were actively attempting to knock his door down, he peered through a crack between the wooden slats in the wall.

He watched as they did indeed knock the door down and entered the room. It would not take them long to realize he wasn't there. He pushed the wall door open and hurried out of the opening. He ran into more soldiers and guards along the way, prompting him to make painfully slow progress. He didn't want to get his team of friends involved in any of this, and so he left them out of it, let them stay asleep and worry about it later. By noon he would be far away from here.

Sneaking past more guards, he slipped silently into a place that he knew how to escape from best. Finding the door locked, he pulled an arrow from his leather knapsack and stuck it into the keyhole. The tip fit into the lock well enough for him to be able to turn it and unlock the door. Immediately, he slipped inside and shut the door behind him. This room had been vacant ever since he had been banished.

Indeed, it was his room.

A small yelp from the far corner of the room said otherwise. He turned and saw the woman Al Saher was courting, Princess Felicity of Starling City. Her blonde hair was down in neat tresses of golden silk. A brush in her hand suggested that she had been brushing out the night's tangles when he had entered. Even though he was a convict right now, he still believed he should bow in her presence.

"Princess. Forgive me for the intrusion I-"

She cut him off.

"I know who you are. Al Sahim, you are an enemy to this city and you killed your own father. And seeing as your brother doesn't trust you, I don't feel that I should either. I have more than half a mind to call Al Saher down on you."

She was fiery.

"Well, my brother isn't exactly the best authority on my character. After all, he hasn't seen me for 10 years. Who is he to talk?"

She was stalling. He knew it.

"I know about you. I know what you are. I know that you were Ra's' favorite."

She was interesting.

"Oh really? Well, you seemed to have quickly gained that position on the female side of the family."

She was livid. He was practically laughing inside.

"I was far from his favorite! You of all people should be able to see that."

She felt like she was winning. His laugh faltered.

"Do not play at such accusations. There was more honor behind my banishment than you believe."

She was curious. He was angry.

"Why?"

It was right around then that the door burst open and Al Saher and his men jumped through the door, swords, staffs, and knives at the ready. Sahim leapt into action, zooming behind the princess, whipping his sword out of its sheath and holding tight across her throat. The once-confident princess was now shaking with fear at her own demise.

Al Sahim grinned beneath his helmet and watched the torn look on his brother's face. He whistled below for his horse, Rami. He heard a loud neigh beneath the open window and he stepped backwards, sword always at his captive's throat. When he reached the window he stood there for a moment, judging his opponents.

Then, in one swift motion, he flipped himself and his prisoner backwards out the window.

Tbc

**A/N: So, this turned out pretty good. Sorry if it isn't as good as the other chapters. I kind of got into writing some other stuff and this got away from me (plus school). At least I am updating on time. The other story I'm writing right now is for ****Pacific Rim****. If any of you are fans and want to hear about it, let me know in a review or a PM. I have no idea how the PM thing works so if one of you guys could help me out that'd be great. Anyway, as always, Read and Review, so let me know what you guys think of this story so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – On the Run

**A/N: So, I guess this story might become a little longer because, well, there is no physical way I will be able to follow the story correctly without it seeming cut short. I have to get them around and on the run, eventually they will end up in Starling, but this chapter and the next will be about them wandering through the desert together, so quite a bit of backstory. This next one is going to be about their escape from Nanda Parbat.(Plus darn it, I just realized his name is spelled Al Sah-Him! Pfff!)**

Felicity screamed when she felt the blade slide away from her face as they fell through space. She didn't want to die. She had been so close to perhaps unlocking Al Sah-him's past. Nyssa had even told her that she wasn't sure if the story she remembered was the truth. I made sense, because frankly, this was the League of Assassins. It might as well have been named The Secret Society of Secret Secrets.

Before she had come here, the word "secret" had been near sacred to Felicity. Of course, secrets were not something that she kept easily, due to her tendency to babble and let them out without realizing it immediately. However, coming here, she realized that things weren't the same as they were in Starling and if you let out any personal information with the wrong person, they would turn on you at the worst moment possible and use that knowledge against you. Thus, the only people she had shared any serious information with were Nyssa, Talia, and Al Sa-her.

She felt her captor tighten his grip around her as they twisted around in the air while gravity sucked them towards the ground. She knew she was probably turning red from all the screaming she was doing, but that didn't stop her. She pressed her head closer to the armor covering his chest. Suddenly, they stopped with a loud thump. Something shifted under her and she saw that she was sitting sidesaddle on a bay horse. It shook its head and pawed at the sand beneath its hooves.

Al Sah-him reached around her and grabbed the reins, giving them a shake and urging the horse into a gallop. Felicity suddenly understood the term "Run like the wind" because the elegant stallion certainly did. He ran faster than Al Sa-her's horse, Kahn. His rider urged him on, much like he had the day before when he crashed her betrothed's game of desert polo. It was right about then an arrow whizzed by her and the horse whinnied.

Al Sah-him kicked the animal's sides and pressed him onward. More arrows flew past as they left the city, archers alongside turrets armed the walls of Nanda Parbat, a formidable attack force trying to subdue them. Peering around the man holding her, she could see a massive herd of men riding horses, Al Sa-her, Talia, and Nyssa leading the charge. However, taking a look at her captor's masked face, she could see nothing. His crystalline blue eyes were hard and laser-focused on what was ahead of him and dodging arrows.

She heard a small SHWINK and he grunted, eyes twitching, but not softening in the least. Seconds later, the horse pulled up with a surprised cry and swerved into a cliff side ravine. They raced between the treacherous paths of the wall. The brown surroundings flashed by in a blur and Felicity felt tears streaming from her eyes because of the wind. She had gotten so used to the smooth rocking of the horse that she yelped when it abruptly jerked to a stop beneath a tree growing out of the cliffside.

The horse threw its head and side-stepped a little, but Al Sah-him moved him close to the wall and brushed aside some of the hanging vines that hung down from the tree to reveal a cavern. Al Sah-him got off and threw the reins over the horse's head. Then he turned his steely eyes on Felicity.

"Now, Princess, if you would be so kind," he said, offering a hand to her for her to get off the horse. She took it begrudgingly and got off the horse.

~oOo~

_At least she hasn't tried to escape_, Sah-him thought to himself as he looked around the cavern. He could hear the faint shouts of the army chasing him in the distance. They would have neared the ravine by now. He extended his hand to the Princess.

"Now, Princess, if you would be so kind," he said, trying to sound somewhat polite. She looked at him like she was both annoyed and didn't trust him, which he understood, before taking his hand and sliding from the saddle. The cavern ceiling was too low to ride Rami in, so they would walk. Holding the reins in one hand, he reached for the brush that hung over the opening. Jerking his head, he motioned her forward to the tunnel. For a moment, she just stared into the blackness, and he could practically feel the nervousness rolling off of her.

"Be warned. I will know if you try to escape, and if you do escape me, you will not get out of the maze inside," he stated. She looked at him wondering if he was bluffing-which he was-before the thought that he was serious passed over her face and she gave a nod, walking into the dark corridor. By now, the ground was beginning to shake from the myriads of horses and riders thundering towards them. Once the princess was inside, Sah-him pulled Rami in last and pushed the secret wall back into place, sealing the opening. This tunnel let out in the direction of the Second City, another secret pathway that he had installed due to paranoia.

He listened for a moment, once he was certain that she was there, he moved forward. He ran his hand against the wall and reached for her, taking one of her hands and placing it on Rami's reins so she would not become lost in the darkness. Since she held the reins directly below his own fist, he could tell just by the warmth of her hand that she remained. Placing his hand on the wall, he placed one foot in front of the other and made his way through the black tunnels.

They walked for hours. Occasionally, something would scurry across their paths such as a mouse or, less preferably, a rat. Al Sah-him was glad that there were no snakes trapped in the tunnel, or at least the ones that sought out meals of the larger sort.

He spoke too soon.

Princess Felicity was having a rambling moment. Something about a mouse's whiskers being like sensors that helped them know what spaces they could and couldn't fit through. It started as just a small hiss, but then, he could hear it moving. Not toward him or Al Rami, but toward the princess.

"Shh, don't move," he said, stopping. It was the first thing he had said during their entire trek, so that probably shut her up and made her stop more than what he said. When that finally sunk in, she asked, "Oh God, what is it?"

"Sand Viper. Very poisonous. Drawn out by body heat," he said shortly trying to get a bead on where the deadly creature was. It had stopped moving and he didn't dare take a step forward because it could be directly under him. He reached for Rami's saddle and pulled out a small torch which would light up for a few seconds, long enough for him to pinpoint the snake's patterned back and ghostly white eyes.

"A-Al Sah-him?" Her voiced quivered.

He struck it lit on the surprisingly dry walls of the cavern and threw it to the ground. The thing was wrapped halfway up her leg by now under the blue skirt of her dress. Immediately, he pounced forward and wrapped his hand around the sand-colored tail and yanked it off her leg, not giving it a millisecond to sink its fangs into her calf. He whipped it around and smashed the thing's head into the wall just as the torch died out. He supposed that she would not have liked seeing him crush its skull into the wall as she seemed to gag at the sound it made.

He tore off the now-bloody armor gloves that he had put on, leaving him only with the black linen wrap hand bracers he wore beneath. He winced at the suppressed pain in his shoulder. An arrow had hit its mark and protruded from his left shoulder. He grunted because of the leap he had made to get the snake off the princess.

"Are you alright, Princess?" he asked. She was silent as a grave and it worried him. She hadn't fully shut up ever since they had entered this cave. Had the snake bit her? Had he reacted too late? When he found Rami's reins again, she still gripped them, though her hands had become sweaty from holding them for so long. "Are you alright?" he asked, enunciating his words.

"Y-You're hurt," she whispered. He knew that she had seen the arrow.

"I'm fine. Are you hurt?" he asked a third time.

"Yes, yes I'm okay."

Taking a deep breath to push the pain back again, he grabbed the reins and pulled Rami forward into the darkness, the princess following. Not long after, they stopped to rest as the princess was not accustomed to walking long distances. She wasn't even wearing shoes. Though he supposed that was his fault. He took a seat on the ground and lost himself in his thoughts.

When they got out of the tunnel, what then? What was he supposed to do? Where was he supposed to go? A small town would be better than one of the cities. There was a village on the way to the Second City called Oshan that they could stay at for a few days. Word only passed through the towns by soldiers passing through and caravans coming from the cities, so it was reasonable to believe that they had time before anyone heard anything. Especially since the combined forces of his three half-siblings merited that, instead of a full frontal assault on the Second City, they return to Nanda Parbat and regroup to amass their collective forces before scouring each of the cities and then the towns.

He stood up and stepped over to where the princess sat and helped her up so they could continue on their way. By the time they reached the end of the tunnel and escaped into the desert, the sun had sunk below the horizon and the air had turned cool. Walking a ways, the princess suddenly spouted something that he could agree with for the first time since they started this whole thing.

"I'm tired. Can we stop for the night?"

Al Sah-him thought it over. His brother was smart. The desert was a dangerous place at night due to the shadowed terrain and the fact that it was a crescent moon and not very bright out. He nodded.

"Just don't run away, alright?"

She let go of Rami's reins, plopping down on the ground in an exhausted fashion. He reached into the saddle bag for another torch and searched around for anything to make a fire with, returning with some dried up camel dung* and lighting a fire with that. It was large enough to stay lit and keep them warm for most of the night. Deciding it was a good plan, Sah-him began to remove his armor, to reveal the standard trappings of a ninja beneath it. However, when he pulled off the chest plate, he cried out in pain. The arrow was wedged into his left shoulder blade. He held his side for a moment before removing his hand. It was covered in blood from the wound, but he was certain he would lose more if the arrow was removed.

"Are you okay? I can take the arrow out for you if you want?"

He shook his head.

"No, having the arrow in slows the bleeding down. We'll be getting to a town tomorrow afternoon if we leave at first light. I can probably get help there."

She nodded.

"Get some rest Princess, like I said, we'll be getting up early."

She nodded once more and lay down on her side in the sand, her hair spreading out behind her.

Al Sah-him laid down on his right side, trying not to aggravate his wound more than it already was as the flaring pain subsided to a prodding throb. At least the arrow hadn't gone all the way through; it had caught in the muscle and the bone. The pain eventually made it too hard to stay awake, even though his brain was constantly going on about what his next move would be.

_Perhaps dragging the princess into this wasn't the best idea after all._

~oOo~

Felicity awoke to sunlight trying to push its way through her eyelids and a nasty smelling smoke. She blinked and sat up, the grogginess in her head fading, grateful for the sunlight after a full day and night in darkness. She looked around to see the horse that she had been kidnapped on standing, head down at rest, a few feet away. Beyond him lay her kidnapper. Even in the sunlight it was hard to see it, but she could tell he was bleeding from his arrow wound. It would need to be cleaned and disinfected before it became infected. Then a thought struck her.

She should be running.

She should be trying to go back.

She should be trying to get away from him.

So, she scrambled to her feet and skittered away down a sand dune. She slipped and took a tumble, but she got back to her feet and hiked up her skirts so she could run faster. She had scaled and slid down five dunes before she looked back. She saw the horse was awake and watching her.

Slide.

Run.

Climb.

The horse whinnied at her, and she cursed it.

Slide.

Run.

Climb.

Al Sah-Him sat up and looked around, she was in trouble.

Slide.

Run.

Climb.

He was on his feet and running, she ran faster.

Slide.

Run.

Climb.

Goodness, he had already cleared two dunes! Her legs were getting tired.

Slide.

Run.

Climb.

He was catching up! What was she going t-

Trip.

Roll.

Run.

He was two dunes behind her, obviously better than her.

Fall.

Roll.

Keep running.

He was right behind her!

Crash!

Fall!

Ouch.

He jerked her up by her shoulders, evidently in pain.

"And just where do you think you're going?" he demanded, not releasing her shoulders for a moment. It was obvious he no longer trusted Felicity. "I told you not to run away!"

"Why should I listen to you? You betrayed your own father!" she shouted in his face, angry that she hadn't made it. Apparently, she had crossed a line that she shouldn't have. His eyes narrowed and his masked face darkened considerably. She had seen his face before, but even then it had seemed like a mask. He tore the mixture of metal and fabric over his head and stared at her, a seething rage burning behind his eyes.

His light-brown hair near matched his rugged tan skin tone, though it darkened at the roots. It dawned on her that this man was huge. Maybe a person like Ra's or Al Sa-her could stand up to him in a fight, but not her, and untrained princess with hardly any muscle to speak of. He could probably snap her like a twig if he wanted to.

"I did not kill my father," he said, his voice lowered to such a frighteningly quiet pitch that Felicity trembled. He was very, very angry. Not fuming. Not furious.

Incandescent with rage was more like it.

Without another word from her, he reached down and picked her up, hoisting her over his good shoulder, at great cost to the calm of his wounded one. He strode back to the horse, she believing that if it were possible, he would have smoke pouring out of his ears. She felt stupid for it, but her fear outweighed her anger and so she just let herself be carried while she stewed about it in her head.

When they finally reached his stallion again, he put her in the saddle before throwing the mask to the ground, kicking sand over it, and storming off to bury the armor he had worn the day before in the sand. Then he moved back over and hauled himself into the saddle, squeezing the horse's side and telling him to walk on.

Doing as he was told, the horse, called Al Rami from what she understood, moved them through the perilous desert at little more than what felt like a crawl. Al Sah-him was silent for the entire trek, though his silence now differed from his silence the previous night. Before it had seemed like he had at least paid a small amount of attention to her babbling and the quiet had been somewhat companionable. However, now the silence was cold and distant and she dared not break it. She was fearful that any speech she made, given her brand of tact, would start a fire that she didn't want to light.

So they rode on and on in silence, Felicity having to physically bite her tongue to keep from saying something, anything, that she might regret. At long last, her scanning of the horizon came up positive. A small grey anomaly on the thin line between earth and sky showed that there was a town.

"That's Oshan," Al Sah-him growled. It made a cold shiver run down her spine and she gritted her teeth to keep her mouth shut. She looked up instead, seeing the sun directly above. It was probably about midday. They kept going.

It was hours before Al Sah-him showed any signs of fatigue. It started with his tan face paling and him sweating abnormally much, it was enough for her to notice casually that he was not at all well; the blood loss was getting to him. It was when he passed out that she grew truly worried. He almost fell out of the saddle, but she managed to right him before that could happen. Unable to take the reins due to her position, she tried to get Al Rami to hurry to the town which was less than a mile away by now. The sun was far down in the sky when she rode into the dusty town whose markets had all closed for the night.

"Hey!" she shouted into the town. After a few more tries of trying to get someone's attention, people started poking their heads out of their homes and shops before running over to help her. One older man with tufts of grey hair dotting his head pushed through the rest and stepped up beside the horse.

"What is wrong, child?" he asked. Felicity was amazed that the man slumped on her back with an arrow sticking out of his shoulder blade wasn't obvious enough.

"He's not well. He was shot with an arrow yesterday and refused to have it pulled out. I think the wound is infected, is there anything any of you can do to help him?" she pleaded with them.

The man gave her an encouraging smile and replied, "I am a doctor, child. I will help him as best I can."

A group of dark clad women, much like her handmaidens, approached her and helped her off the horse. They tried to herd her away, but she slipped away from them and chased after the doctor and his assistants who were busy hoisting Al Sah-him out of the saddle and carrying him to a small stone building not unlike the others in the towns. She hounded them until one of them blocked her entrance to the surgery room.

"You are not permitted to enter here. You may watch your loved one, but you may not come inside unless the doctor allows it," he said. Felicity nodded and obeyed, sitting down outside the door on a bench and watched. Two of the men, including the one who had prevented her from entering, propped Al Sah-him up in a sitting position on a medical table in the middle of the room while a third man removed his shirt, trying not to cause him a great deal of pain and also not wake him. When the man who had removed the shirt walked past her with it in his grasp and out the door, she turned her gaze back to the man who had kidnapped her and who she had felt ridiculously fickle about. She wasn't sure whether to hate him or care for him, trust him or not, or be fearful of him.

His chest was bared and she could see the pink lines that overlapped and marred his chest. There was of course room in between them, but she had never seen so many scars in her life. She was halfway convinced in her head that the man was a walking scar when she registered that his mouth had curled into a pain-filled grimace and she could see the doctor just behind him as he yanked the arrow out and Al Sah-him cried out.

She yelped and ran forward, forgetting the man's warning. She skidded to a stop, however, when she saw that he was struggling against the two men restraining him. His eyes were wide open, but he looked like he had no clue where he was. He looked like a wild animal thrashing against its captors. She saw the doctor raise his hand back, a syringe firm in his grasp. She screwed her eyes shut at the howl that Al Sah-him let loose when the doctor stabbed him with the needle. She covered her ears and tried to shut out the haunting cry. He wasn't a wolf, but he certainly sounded like one.

When he was finished, and the injection had done its job at calming him, she uncovered her ears and cracked her eyes open. His icy blue eyes, once sharp and focused, seemed lost and dazed as he stared both through and at her at the same time. He sat docilely as the doctor wrapped his shoulder and part of his torso with stark white bandage.

Not seeming to have minded her presence, the doctor looked at her with a smile. "It is time for him to rest now, but I think maybe it would be best if he fell asleep with the knowledge that you are here."

Felicity nodded and began to walk towards the prone body on the table; however the doctor stopped her again.

"It would be of great use to know his name."

Felicity's first reaction was to tell him exactly what his name was, but then she remembered the moment the previous day when he had killed the snake that had made the mistake of winding its way up her leg. He had saved her life. She knew that life debts were a thing in Assassin territory, so she decided to repay the favor. She wracked her brain for any names that she could come up with that sounded Assassin-ish.

"Haydar. His name is Haydar."

The doctor nodded and let her pass to Al Sah-him's side. His eyes were closed now and his chest rose and fell in deep even measures, telling her that he was sleeping. She rested one of her hands on one of his and said, "Rest well." However, before she could pull her hand away or say anything more, his large rough hand wrapped around hers and his head jerked upright, his brilliant blue eyes boring into hers.

"T-Ta-er Al Sa-fer…"

Then his eyes rolled back and closed, his neck relaxing and letting his head back to the soft table beneath him. She rested a hand on his forehead for a moment while all the stress etching lines across his face disappeared as sleep calmed him. She then removed her hand and stepped away from him, leaving the room and finding the doctor sitting in a chair in the waiting area.

She walked over to him and sat beside the older man. He looked at her thoughtfully, but maintained the silence between them. Finally, it was Felicity who spoke up.

"How is he?"

"He'll pull through. You were right to believe that his wound was infected. However, not much damage was done to his muscle, so everything should be in working order within a few days. I assume you will be on your way then?'

"Yes, yes I think so."

"You should rest then. With the healing salve, he will be up and about in two days time. There is a small resting place not far up the road and the women will be more than happy to fit you with fresh clothes."

"Thank you for your kindness, I wish I could repay you."

**A/N: Okay, so this one turned out to be longer than I expected… O_O AAAAAANYWAY, that was kinda fun to write. We are now further into the story, and because I was able to work on this more than expected this week due to a sudden burst of inspiration. I did make a valiant effort over the last few days, but unfortunately, chapter five will have to be uploaded next week since I didn't manage to finish today. Sorry :(**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Lian Yu

~Three days later~

"Thank you for your hospitality Kohbar and for healing my injuries," Al Sah-him said, bowing to the older man to show him his thanks and appreciation. They stood together on the outskirts of the bustling town alongside his horse, waiting for the arrival of the princess so they could continue on their way. If he was going to stand any chance of beating his brother, he had to return to the Second City to rally his own army.

"It was no trouble, young Ardeth. You and your companion are both welcome guests in Oshan and my house if ever you return this way," the doctor replied, gesturing to match his words. Al Sah-him, Ardeth, smiled and thanked him again before turning to look into the city. What was taking her so long?

Finally, he spotted the shock of wavy blonde hair that he recognized as hers. She stepped out of a crowd of women, dressed much the same as them, though she was perhaps more dressed for riding than previously. She wore a pair of good sandals on her feet and trousers beneath a skirt that fell down over one leg. Her shirt covered up to her collar and the sleeves were made of fine netting. A black veil of a similar fabric was strung across her lower face.

_A desert flower indeed._

He shook the thoughts off and nodded at her when she reached him.

"Ardeth, it is good to see you well and on your feet again," she said, sounding sort of forced with him, but he shook it off. He had managed to gather upon his awakening the previous morning that the locals knew him as Ardeth. She had covered for him when they arrived, which meant that he couldn't call her Princess or Felicity. The doctor turned to her and smiled, his wrinkled features wrinkling even more.

"Ah, Ta'er Al Sa-fer, it is good to see you again," he commented happily. So that must be what she called herself. He wondered why, but he was happy with the meaning. It suited her. She turned to the doctor and smiled.

"It is good to see you as well Dr. Khobar. Thank you for helping Ardeth."

She said it with such a forced ease that it nearly seemed like she had known him as that all his life. He briefly wondered again why she was doing all this for him; his actions had hardly warranted it. Instead he shook his head and turned back to Dr. Khobar.

"Your help will not go unnoticed. I will repay you as soon as I can," he said, bowing respectfully to his elder. A young boy with dark brown hair which was lightening at the ends due to sun exposure and tan skin approached with Rami and handed him the reins. He smiled at the boy and thanked him, ruffling the spiky hair. After the boy left to return to the town stables where he most likely worked, he turned back to Felicity, who was looking at him like he had four eyes. Taking her gaze in stride, he merely raised an eyebrow before gesturing to the saddle.

"Please, milady," he said and once again offered her his hand to help her on to the horse. Keeping up the façade, she accepted his offer and climbed into the saddle. As soon as she was settled, he hauled himself up, sitting ramrod straight while the painkillers in his shoulder were still effective. He reached around her and grasped the reins which the Doctor had thrown over the stallion's head.

"Again, we cannot thank you enough for your kindness, sir," he said, trying to express just how grateful he was that the man had done his work quickly enough to get him up and moving before Al Sa-her arrived. The man waved him off.

"And once again, I am a doctor. I help all who come to me, young Ardeth. Please return any time, you are always welcome in Oshan," the old man replied as he turned and walked away from them back towards the clay-rock structure that served as the local healing center. Al Sah-him gave him a nod and clicked his tongue, telling his horse to gallop.

~oOo~

Felicity couldn't believe what she had just witnessed.

Prince Al Sah-him, Lord of the Third City, Son of the Demon, had just treated two human beings whom Al Sa-her would have had no objections to treating harshly, with kindness, dignity, and respect. He had even bowed to Dr. Khobar! She hadn't even seen a guard be so respectful to an elderly person or even a child.

This man continued to amaze her. In the few days she had known him, she had seen him be smart, brave, fierce, a hunter, stiff-upper-lipped, uncontrollable, childlike, and now respectful. Two of those moments stuck out in her mind the greatest.

A hunter.

When he had lit the flare in the cave so he could see the snake, she had seen something in his eyes, his face. He looked laser-focused on removing the snake, and he had pounced forward like a cat would on a mouse. She recalled the lightning speed with which the viper had been ripped off of her leg. It had been so quick that she hadn't realized it was gone until she saw its tail in his grip and watched him swing it towards the wall. Her leg was still tingling from where it had squeezed when she had heard the skull crack.

Uncontrollable.

She had seen him strain against two grown, strong, men; blind rage filling his eyes. She had seen him in one place while he believed himself to be in another. She had looked on as what lay hidden underneath surfaced and his emotions were raw. Then she had watched his wild eyes turn glassy and empty as he slipped into a sedated, docile state.

And she couldn't help but wonder what had made him those things.

She didn't dare turn around in the saddle to look at him and see if there was anything in his face to give away. She instead decided to focus on gripping the pommel of the saddle so she didn't bounce too hard and fall off. The sun was starting to go down, which surprised her. They had left about halfway through the afternoon, so that meant they had been traveling for about three hours or so already. She looked up from the horse's neck and saw that they were heading for a small stand of palm trees and a pond.

When they reached the spot, Al Sah-him jumped off the horse and grunted. He reached up and clutched his shoulder, nearly doubling over; however, he stumbled off towards the trees and got to work setting up a small camp. She watched him for a few minutes, trying to decide whether she just watched in high-and-mighty silence or she got off of Al Rami and helped him. His painkillers were clearly wearing off.

She just sat there, watching him, in silence.

He rounded up some logs to sit and rest against and got a fire going before night completely fell. He sat down with a groan and stuck his hands out in front of him to warm them by the flames. She felt the chill of the breeze as the desert surrounding her cooled down for the night. She looked off towards the Eastern horizon, seeing the dark bluish sky growing ever closer.

"You know, you _can_ sit over here if you want."

Her head swiveled back towards him. He wasn't looking at her, but rather, he was holding his side with one hand and poking at the fire with the other. The firelight was beginning to light up his features as darkness continued to subdue the daylight. She shivered again as the small breeze whipped through, blowing her hair around. Sighing quietly, she slid off Al Rami's back and ambled over to where he sat, still adjusting the logs in the small makeshift fire pit. She drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them close.

It was about an hour before either of them said anything, and of course, she started it.

"I'm sorry."

"…For what?"

"I shouldn't have said what I did the other day. It was unkind."

"Well, I haven't exactly made the best impression on you now have I?"

"Don't say that."

"What else is there to say?"

"Why and how are good places to begin."

"What do you mean?"

"Why were you banished, and how did you become what you are?"

"That's kind of a long story. And one I'm not too keen on telling."

"I have all night. But it's totally okay if you don't want to say."

It was right about then that he gave her a look. His mouth was screwed up, and he quirked an eyebrow upwards. For a minute, she thought that would have been the end of the conversation, and well it should have been. She thought she should have just kept her mouth shut. Though she was amazed to find that she wasn't spewing every thought that came into her mind and going on and on about absolutely nothing. She waited another minute before she asked him another question.

"What does Ta'er Al Sa-fer mean?"

Again he looked at her.

"You don't know? I thought you chose it to conceal your identity."

"No. You did."

"Huh?"

"Well, when you were being healed, you passed out. But before you did, you called me Ta'er Al Sa-fer. What does it mean?"

He looked away and chuckled, seeming to think for a moment.

"It, uh, means something like 'yellow bird' or 'Canary'. Just in general, a creature that brings joy."

She smiled at the meaning of the name he had called her, wondering how she had earned the nickname.

"I like it."

She turned her thoughts inward, gazing deep into the dancing flames. She let her mind wander to her home, to the events of the last few months spent in the Second City with Al Sa-her. It was a while before any sounds penetrated the silence, this time it was broken by Al Sah-him.

"Do you know the name of the Third City?" he asked.

She turned and looked at him, suddenly surprised that he might open up to her.

"No."

"It is called Lian Yu. And it is the equivalent of hell on Earth." He looked away as he spoke, the firelight flickering in his eyes. She wondered for a moment if he was going to continue with his story, but didn't get the chance to encourage or discourage him from going on.

"When I was first banished to the Third City, I knew nothing. I had barely begun my formal training as one of my father's Hands when I left; though I knew how to fight back should I be confronted with hostility. Such was the case when I arrived. The people of the Third City are the most dangerous in the world. They constantly attack and fight one another to grow stronger, both in body and in status. Children are ushered in as the new generation of what are known as Challengers almost daily to begin careers of battle. Many do not survive the first few months.

"I was worn out from walking through the desert for so many days on my journey to the Third City that I was caught off guard by the citizens who greeted me with their derisive words and the physical blows. That first day alone I was nearly beaten into a bloody pulp.

"During the second week after my arrival, an older man called Yao Fei found me and took me in. I found out that he was a prisoner there, but a good man with a daughter named Shado. He trained me how to fight, taught me most everything I know now. I learned how to use a bow and arrows, how to defeat an opponent larger than I am, and…manners.

"I met his daughter a few weeks after he found me, she was being held by one of the local terrorist rulers, Derek Fyres. He was the ruler of the city at the time. However, when it came time to confront Fyres and rescue Shado, Yao Fei was killed. After that, it was up to Shado and me to see that the reign of terror was ended.

"While Shado was only older than me by two years, she knew far more than me about being on the streets. We quickly bonded and became close friends, looking out for each other and making sure neither of us died. She continued the training her father had started. She helped me turn myself into a weapon to save my city. And though we were close, our relationship never got the chance to turn into something more."

He stopped then, Felicity believing that perhaps the tale was over. It didn't sound like it, but it did sound like he was struggling to get through this part. She was about to open her mouth and tell him that he didn't have to keep going if it was too hard for him, but he started up once again.

"When we tried to go up against Fyres, Shado was captured and killed. I still feel like her death is my fault. I should have stopped it. I did stop Fyres, beating him in a Challenge. It was then that I rose to power, the youngest ever ruler of Lian Yu. And I was alone. I had no friends, no one to help me. My advisors were all corrupt as I learned rather quickly. It was around then that I met Sofian. He became something like a brother to me, and he helped me change Lian Yu for the better. Though it is still rugged and deadly, the people are at least cared for.

"I met Sarab and Dar Sina'a a few years later, and I am now surrounded with people I trust to help me make good and right decisions," he finished. His gaze never left the flames, like he was under the influence of a truth drug or a spell in which he was made to tell everything about his past. Felicity knew immediately that it was not the full story, but she was shocked at how much he had opened up to her. She knew that the Third city could be a wild and unruly place, but never had she imagined such a violent picture as the one Al Sah-him had painted for her.

"It's late, princess, you should rest," he said quietly. He yawned before rolling onto his side in the sand, back to her. She took that as a sign of his trust, though a nagging portion of her mind screamed at her that it was the perfect chance to escape. She was no longer encumbered by the need for rest or shoes, and there were towns scattered about through the desert. Oshan itself was only a four hour trek from there.

_And yet_… She thought, looking back at the shuddering form of her companion. Her curious side often got the better of her in these situations, beating out her good judgment. She rolled her eyes at herself and lay down on her side in the sand, staring contemplatively at the flames, which were beginning to dwindle slightly.

She needed to know more about this man.

She would stay

**A/N: OMIWORD! I AM SOOOOO SORRY GUYS! I did not forget about my update day, but life had other plans for my Sunday. Found out on Saturday that I was going to be having one of my little 6 year old friends over for the afternoon. Was planning on wrapping the fine-tuning of this chapter up Sunday morning, but no. Had to clean house instead. In any case, this be done. Also, I won't be updating until Monday or Tuesday of next week because I know for sure that I will not be able to until then. Sorry guys, just bear with me and we'll get through to the end! As usual, please Read and Review and let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns! IMSP**

**(P.S Changed the name Haydar to Ardeth, and I have updated the previous chapter with the changes)**


	6. Author Apology

Dear Readers,

To start off, thank you so much for all your support on this story. It is the first thing I have written that got such a tremendous following! You people are amazing and I want to thank you for your constructive criticism, your questions, and kind comments in general. I am sorry I have not updated in the last two weeks, but schools are having finals and my last one is tomorrow. Unfortunately, Betrayal fell to the wayside over the last week, but I am attempting to pick it back up, dust it off, and help it continue on its way. I want to get at least four to six more chapters out of this and I am endeavoring to do so. Hopefully the next one will be up next Sunday since I would prefer to stick to my update day.

Again, thank you for your kind support through this journey and please stick around while we get to our final destination.

Sincerely,

IronManSaidPinata

(p.s "I do not like them, Sam I am, I do not like final exams)


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – Death of Innocence**

_A long shadow fell over him from above._

_He inhaled sharply and scooted backwards into the darkness of the shack he had found refuge in until he was pressed against the cold wood wall, splinters pressing into his skin, making him hiss. The shadow stopped moving and seemed to move in his direction before turning and wandering off. For the first time in a week, he had managed to evade an abuser. However, his frightened and ragged breathing never stopped. He simply sat there in the darkness. A thirteen year old boy, thin as a leaf and shaking like one too._

_He didn't belong here._

_He should be at home; safe and warm in his father's palace. He could feel the warmth of his comfortable bed and hear the fire crackling in the hearth on the opposite side of the room. But all of that was miles away. And he was alone. So very alone._

_He didn't realize right away, but tears had gathered in his eyes and begun to slide down his cheeks in a never-ending cascade. They stung his sunburned skin, causing him to hiss, as they dripped from his chin or slid down his neck. It was pain, but he welcomed the sting. The tickling kind. It was better than the beatings he had received at the hands of these monstrous people. He snapped his head to the side when he realized what he had just thought._

_He was _nothing _like them! _

_That's right. He was weak._

_He shook his head again and eased himself onto his side on the thin pallet on the ground. If he wanted to keep up his end of the deal, he needed to stay alive. He had to stop thinking about going home if he wanted to survive._

_He had to think about Thea._

_In a flash, he remembered the events of that fateful day. _

~oOo~

_His eyes widened in terror as his father's blade rose in a graceful arc backwards. His target sat kneeling on the floor, tears flooding from her eyes. She was only seven years old. A mere six years younger than him. In that moment, he made a decision. He leapt into range of the blade._

_"_**NO!**_" he shouted, falling in front of the girl, in front of his sister, the blade connecting with his throat instead._

~oOo~

Al Sah-him jolted upright into a sitting position. He was breathing fast and hard and his shirt was soaked with sweat. His shoulder muscle throbbed, though the pain had died down considerably since the night before. He shivered as the cold air of the desert night finally reached him. The fire had gone out, probably hours prior as all that remained were ashes and a few wisps of smoke trailing upwards into the starry night.

Al Rami nickered behind him and Al Sah-him found a velvety black muzzle nudging the back of his head. He reached a hand up and stroked his horse's face, telling him that he was fine. After making certain that his master was indeed telling the truth, the faithful stallion wandered off to stand next to palm tree and lowered his head to sleep.

Al Sah-him rolled onto his side once more and shivered against the chill. He hadn't had that dream in years. The one in which he gave his life for Thea's instead of the current arrangement. He hadn't dreamed about the first time he had run from a fight. He had more than proven that he wasn't a coward. He had defeated so much, knocked down every wall that stood in his way. He screwed his eyes shut and tried to get some sleep as the sun would be coming up in a few hours and his internal clock would force him to awaken fully at the break of dawn.

He reached a hand up and fisted his hand around the small arrow pendant that hung around his neck beneath his shirt, a gift from his mother. No one knew about it, not even his father.

And he intended to keep it that way.

Especially with his brother poised to take the throne.

That meant he couldn't risk it slipping even to Princess. He rolled over onto his other side, wincing when his bad shoulder heated and throbbed. He pushed the pain away and then lifted his eyes toward the young woman adjacent to him; she faced in his direction, a few locks of her wavy golden hair had fallen over her face with only her even breaths to disturb them.

She looked incredibly peaceful right now; the thin veil of black netting that had covered her lower face through the day had slipped off to reveal the rest of her features unobstructed by shadow. Before he realized what he was doing, his free hand extended towards her and hovered for a moment over her face, prepared to tuck the unruly strands behind her ear. However, he stopped and withdrew his hand. She was promised to another man, thus he dared not touch her in such a manner, despite the fact that the man she was engaged to was Al Sa-her.

He frowned and rolled back over. That man had better know just how precious this young woman was. Though he had long since stopped feeling envious of his brother to prevent a situation similar to the one they were in right now from happening, he couldn't help but stiffen up and clench his fists again. He wished that he could have been in his brother's position. Then he might have been able to meet someone like the Princess, maybe even married someone like her.

_But what of Thea and the others?_

He screwed his eyes shut and shuddered. Had Thea been Al Sa-her's brother, she would be dead. Even then, that boy wouldn't have jumped in front of the blade like he had for her, causing his father to stop the execution. And Dig, Roy, and Maseo wouldn't be in the positions they were in right now. Dig would still be acting as the abused bodyguard to the last Ruler of Lian Yu. Roy would still be a petty thief experimented on by a terrorist. And Maseo. Maseo would still be an empty man with no hope.

He felt one weight lift from his shoulders at the thought of the good he had done for his city, but another one was lowered at the thought of his friends. They were still in Nanda Parbat, which meant that they were most likely being interrogated or had been imprisoned. He prayed for their safety and a life sentence in prison instead of an execution. After all, if they couldn't get any information from his friends (information he knew they didn't have), they would have to hold them until the true perpetrator of the crime could be discovered and taken in.

They would never capture him.

Once he reached Lian Yu, he would rally his forces and take Nanda Parbat by storm if necessary. He relaxed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

He would need the rest.

~oOo~

Felicity woke up the following morning to the smell of meat being cooked. She slowly rose into a sitting position, her back stiff from lying on the ground all night. She brushed what sand she could off her person and looked around to see Al Sah-him roasting some strips of meat over a small fire. Occasionally he would wave his hand through the smoke drifting up into the morning sky to clear it away.

"Good morning, milady," he said quietly. After a second glance, she could tell something was off. She frowned suspiciously at him for a moment before shaking her head, unable to pin down exactly what was wrong. His fist was either clenched at his side or it was wound tight around the poker stick he had used the previous night.

She sat in silence, observing his movements around the fire as he turned the meat suspended on another stick to make certain it cooked through. When it was finished, he removed it from the fire and put out the lingering flames on the poker. He peeled the strips off and stepped around the fire, kicking sand over the remains as he did so. He crouched down beside her and held out the ration to her.

She took the charred strip of meat and nibbled the edge. Meanwhile, he stuck the whole top quarter in his mouth and snapped it off in a single bite. She listened to him as he crunched and munched the ration. He finished the rest in two more bites and wiped his hands on each other to rid them of the greasy crumbs. He then set to work covering all their tracks and possible clues that would help anyone see that they had stopped here for the night.

By the time she had finished her ration strip and wiped her hands off on one another, the fire pit was completely buried and Al Sah-him was leading Al Rami toward her. She stood and he offered her his hand. She accepted it and climbed into the saddle. He hauled himself up behind her and once again reached around her to the reins, clicking his tongue to get the stallion to start off through the desert once more.

~oOo~

Two days of following the same routine later found them nearing the Third City. Or so Al Sah-him had said. In order to save time, they had continued on through the night. Not long after he announced that they were not stopping, he had also instructed her to get some rest if it were possible. So, she had eventually drifted off to sleep between his arms.

When she woke up, she realized that they had stopped. She moved to stretch, but found her arm blocked by something. She looked up and gasped, realizing that she had snuggled up to Al Sah-him's chest in her sleep. However, the man sitting over her looked nothing like the man who had held her the last three days. His head was wrapped with a mask and hood which left only his sky blue eyes visible. She felt small in his grasp and he looked imposing as he loomed above her. She unwittingly folded in on herself, not helping the situation in the least.

Her slight movement caught his attention and his eyes flicked down to meet hers. They softened slightly before he looked back up again and said, "We have reached Lian Yu." She sighed inwardly. Since his small revelation to her three nights ago (or was it four?), he had closed himself off to her. Not that she was trying to gain more information from him, but she had spent the last couple evenings around the fire with him babbling about nothing. He never seemed to look like he was listening, but whenever she would fall silent, he would look up at her as if to say "continue, I am listening."

So she would keep spouting nonsense to him and embarrass herself hundreds of times in a single conversation than she would normally. And now here he was, with his arms all but wrapped around her and her head resting against his chest. As soon as the thought entered her head, she sat upright, almost falling out of the saddle until he steadied her to stop her flailing.

She exhaled and looked up, her mouth dropping open when she saw what lay ahead of them. Gigantic gates, standing tall and imposing in the morning sun, wrapped around out of view as far as she could see. Beyond them stood a truly rugged and gulp-worthy sight.

The city walls.

They were made entirely of wood, trees judging by the foliage and moss that protruded and hung down the sides of the structure. She could hear shouts from here. Or was that just her imagination? From what she had heard from her companion, she felt more than a little apprehensive about going into that dangerous city. However, a small comfort to her remained that Al Sah-him was not simply "all bark and no bite." He was in charge here for a reason.

Suddenly, something blue came into vision. Her eyes widened for a moment before she squinted. It was a flag, waving around in the wind. It suddenly dawned on her why they had stopped.

"Is that…what I think it is?" she said quietly. Part of her prayed that it wasn't, but she knew it was. His silent nod only served to confirm her suspicions. The Second City had invaded and claimed the Third City as theirs. She looked down to see that Al Sah-him was gripping the reins in his fists so hard they were shaking.

She recognized nearly immediately after that that one of two plans could be circling around in his head right now. One, he could enter the city secretly and retake his home from the inside. Or two, he could find somewhere else to hide until the heat of the incident last week blew over.

Had it already been a week?

She shook the thought off and sighed. If she thought about it, she knew deep down he had nothing to do with his father's murder. He had spoken so earnestly when speaking a simple phrase that could be said as a lie. It was almost a childish honesty. Just to reaffirm her thoughts on this matter, she decided to bring up the topic.

"Did you have anything to do with-"

"I had **nothing** to do with my father's death."

She gave a quick smile and extremely minute nod before she made her decision.

"I know where we can go," she said, not looking at him. She could feel his eyes on her once again. She clenched the pommel of the saddle once more and took a breath, screwing her eyes shut. "We can go to Starling. My father will believe me if I say that Al Sa-her sent me here in your care to be safe. We can convince him that you've been sent as my guard. It'll be safer for a while."

She bit her lip and waited for his answer. She didn't receive one right away, but he jerked the reins and turned Al Rami around. "Thank you, Princess." She started for a moment, but then looked up at him.

"Felicity. It's Felicity."

"Thank you…Felicity."

**A/N: I bet you all thought I wasn't going to update.**

**LQTM! Ha ha! I did! You must be so happy. This one took some time to finish, plus I got sick this week (so done with allergy season) see you next sunday!**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hi guys, I am so sorry for not updating for the last...three...weeks. Yeah, I didn't finish school on time and so life has been crazy hectic as I try to get done with school by August. I will be attempting the update more frequently, hopefully more than "not never" but please be aware that there might be Sundays when an update will not come because the chapter is still in its first paragraphs and I haven't touched the file for days.**

Chapter 7 – The Princess Returns

The journey to Starling took the better portion of five days. However, only two of those days was spent in the desert as the territory's biome changed with boundaries. The people in Starling were suited to a Temperate forest-grassland climate while the Assassins were perhaps more partial to the testing heats of the desert. Aside from water, most of the world is desert, so the Assassins had a sizeable territory in which to roam.

It was for this very reason that Al Sah-him shivered underneath his light clothes and bit his lip to keep from hissing when the cool, wet breeze brushed his sunburned face. It was awfully humid here. He was more accustomed to the drier but shadier heat of Lian Yu and the unforgiving lashings of the sun in the desert. Nanda Parbat had always been comfortably hot, not quite oppressive, but heat was most definitely a major force in the culture of the city.

Here it was a totally different story. While the sun wasn't beating down mercilessly through the foliage hanging above and offering shade, the water-filled heat was. He was already sweating from effort and his legs and rear end were aching from days in the saddle. He had noticed Al Rami's legs were weakening and growing shaky, but the stubborn horse wouldn't stop until Al Sah-him said "whoa" or "take a break" with much conviction.

Even so, when he spotted the spires twisting up into the sky above the city gates three days after entering the dense forest, he couldn't help but feel like he was riding to his death. The princess, Felicity, seemed certain that she could make her father understand. He looked down at the Princess. He had pulled her head shawl over her face like his own to protect it from the sun, so it wasn't burnt like a meat ration strip. Her eyes were closed so she was most likely sleeping. She was sitting sidesaddle and limp in his arms with her head against his chest as had become the normal position for her while she slept.

Another part of him almost didn't want the journey to end yet so he could hold her like this for a little while longer. But he knew it was not to be. He frowned, safe in the knowledge that no one could see the feelings beneath his mask. But then, that was the problem with everything wasn't it? No one could see through his many masks. And so he had yet to let anyone in. Even Dig, Roy, and Maseo still hadn't breached the many walls built up around him to keep him safe. For a long time, he had believed that it was best that way. However, since he had opened up to Felicity, a weight had lifted from his chest. Perhaps he should endeavor to release some of his thoughts to a person of trust.

Unfortunately, that would have to wait. He shifted slightly, so his arm pushed her upward a little. Her eyes fluttered at their signal and her brows knotted together. He tried again, jostling her. She groaned and yawned before opening her eyes.

"Mmff, g'morning."

"Good morning, Princess."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, here you are a princess, and I am but your humble bodyguard."

"Right. How close are we?"

"See for yourself."

She moved into an upright position in the saddle, swinging her legs around Al Rami's neck and gripped his dark mane. She gasped when she saw the gates of the city. She spun around in the saddle and glared at Al Sah-him.

"Why didn't you wake me sooner! I need more time to prepare an alibi than this!" she whisper-yelled. He resisted the urge to chuckle at her angry face. Her eyebrows drawn together and blue eyes nervously glaring at him made her look more cute than threatening. As though she were a kitten trying to prove she was a lion. It wasn't working, but he knew better than to laugh at her and get a look at her furious face.

"I presumed that you would have one. I highly doubt that Al Sa-her would send word to your father and risk an angry attack by the growing army of Starling. So, a valid excuse for you would be that he sent you here in secret so that you would be safe. He sent me along with you as a guard to protect you," Al Sah-him replied easily, trying to make it sound like this sort of thing happened all the time. He had grown rather good at infiltration over the years. He kept it to himself, but he was wracking his brain about what he should do if his loyalty was questioned. Only the best assassins were assigned to guard royalty, however that also came with the possibility of being betrayed. This meant that the most trustworthy assassins were those who were indebted to you or had made a blood oath.

Though he wished for an alternative-and more conveniently: for her father not to ask-he knew that the possibility of his needing to be tied to the princess for even longer was growing in likelihood.

Minutes passed like hours until they finally reached the gate. From there on in, he left the talking to the princess. She handled everything very well, from getting through the gates and winding her way through the city on the horse. At least that was how it went until they reached the palace…

When they arrived and he had helped her off Al Rami's back for possibly the last time, they shared a brief look. She had removed the head shawl and it draped around her shoulders while her slight burnt face tilted up to look into his only visible features: his eyes. She seemed to be attempting to convey something to him, but didn't get the chance as at least fifty guards pounded down the palace steps and surrounded them, pulling him roughly away from her and separating them.

For a moment he felt a sickening knot in his stomach rise up out of nowhere and tighten at the thought that he couldn't see her past the guards(he must have developed a bodyguard's gut in the last few days), but he relaxed when he remembered that she had nothing to fear from them. He didn't strain against the men holding him and allowed himself to be bound and pulled as well as pulled to wherever it was they were taking him.

The only part of the palace he could see was the never-ending ceiling that spanned artistically on forever about fifty feet above him. Where fine plaster or gold molding was absent, artwork took over. Despite having been brought up as a prince, his first thought was "that must have been a pain to make. I feel bad for the artist" rather than "how incredibly intricate. It must have taken generations to finish." He was nearly certain that if any of the artists were still alive, they most likely had horrible back trouble and probably couldn't see straight.

Even craning his neck, he couldn't see anything past the tight-packed circle of soldiers that hedged him in. While not short, assassins (himself included) were used to running at top speed through corridors with low ceilings. All in all, while he was a prince and carried himself with some sort of inborn pride, he realized that he rarely stood at his full imposing 6'1" height.

At long last the entourage stopped and he heard the King say his daughter's name, followed by footsteps, hesitant at first but increasing in speed.

~oOo~

Felicity fell into her father's hug and squeezed him back tightly. While she was still stressing out over how she was supposed to explain her sudden visit, she was happy to see her father again. She lingered in his arms and he let her. When she was smaller, she would hug him like this when she'd have a falling out with a friend, or one of her sisters had bullied her for not being a "girly" girl like them. It was true that Felicity had a greater appreciation for lessons that she saw as more practical than learning all the rules of propriety, how to properly greet a potential suitor, as well as various things the future queen of Starling would need to know.

Though they had discontinued the practice after Felicity had informed her father that "she was too grown up for that sort of thing" at the age of 13, she had thought over the years it would be nice to revive the practice. This was one of those times. The emotion conveyed during the hug was always strong, and much the same each time. However, causes of the turmoil that spurred on the seeking of this particular brand of hug were different most times.

As a child, after she would pull away from him she would tearfully recount the whole truth and nothing but the truth to her father as he listened to her attentively. When she had explained the whole situation and her tears had stopped falling, he would tell her that it would be made better and give her an answer dependent on the circumstances. He would either tell her that he would take care of it, or offer her advice as to how she could make amends herself.

This time, however, there were no tears of despondency on her part, but rather tears of relief from both parties. There would be an explanation of course, but it would not be something as childish as a disagreement or hurt feelings. Lost in her thoughts and the moment, she forgot entirely about her protector who was currently being claustrophobically boxed in by at least twenty guards.

When her father pulled away from her, he reached a gentle hand up to her now-browning cheek. She got a good look at him for the first time in six months. His brown-gold hair was starting to grey on the sides, and his face looked worn out and stressed with deep lines near his eyes and forehead, suggesting that he frowned often as of late. He seemed to be making an appraisal of what changes she might have gone through recently.

He smiled and she returned it with fervor, happy that he was glad to see her. At long last, her father spoke.

"I received news of Ra's Al Ghul's death last week as well as the chaos the League of Assassins has been thrown into. I was afraid that you had been hurt, but when no word came from your betrothed, I didn't know what to think. Are you alright, my daughter?"

"I am fine, father. Would you like me to tell you how I came to return home?" Felicity asked, hoping beyond all hope that her story would hold and that she didn't say anything that would make the floor fall out from beneath her feet. Her father gave his consent for her to start and moved back up to sit down heavily on his throne. Taking a deep breath, she began to weave her hopefully practiced tale.

"It all began nearly two weeks ago on the morning after Ra's' death. I woke up to the sounds of a chase and found Al Sa-her in the hallway and he informed me that his brother and the lord of the Third city had murdered Ra's. He told me to stay in my room and not let anyone in but him. About a half an hour later, Al Sah-him himself came in and took me hostage with Al Sa-her not far behind him. Al Sah-him escaped and kidnapped me, but realizing that he would not have gotten far if he had brought me, handed me off to one of his own guards to keep as a bargaining chip.

"We parted ways then and I continued on with the guard as we wer-" Her father stopped her then, raising a hand up and then pointing at Al Sah-him standing in the middle of the guards.

"Bring him forward," he said in his kingly voice. The guards did as they were told, violently shoving a cuffed Al Sah-him to his knees on the tile floor. She couldn't see him grimace under the mask, but didn't think he would. From what she had gathered about the last ten years of his life, he had been through enough physical, mental, and emotional pain for the dull ache in his knees to seem like nothing more than a minor annoyance.

"Show his face," her father commanded. One of the guards grabbed the top of his mask and yanked it off of his head, snapping the clasps that fastened it to his shoulders, to reveal his tan sun-stricken face and golden-brown hair. Even from a distance, she could see the few knicks and cuts that he had received riding through the forest on Al Rami. They would surely turn to scars.

Al Sah-him looked up with a quiet defiance of her father. She supposed that as part of her story, she ought to say that he was from the Third city as well, giving a reason for the disrespectful behavior and uncouth manner. Her father seemed to appraise his face, tilting his head to the side and looking at him from different angles. Al Sah-him didn't look away, but she could tell he was sweating like a school boy under a headmaster's disapproving glare. At long last, her father spoke once more.

"What is his name?" he asked, looking to Felicity for an answer. She jumped a little at the attention suddenly being shifted back to her. Al Sah-him gave her a disguised warning look as he watched her from the corner of his eye. She looked up at her father, steeling her nerves and praying she didn't mess anything up.

"Ardeth. His name is Ardeth," she said, more firmly than she thought she would. Her voice hadn't wavered, and that gave her strength to continue. "Father, if I may, could I finish the story?"

Her father smiled and nodded for her to continue.

"Thank you. As I was saying, we were in the middle of the desert and were without provisions. Ardeth was shot in the back with an arrow. I admit, I was angry with him and we argued. I yelled at him saying that he had betrayed his king and that he was an evil heretic. However, it was then that he informed me, much to my immediate fear, that he was loyal to no one. Not his king. Not even to Al Sah-him.

But he owed Al Sah-him a favor, one that was completed when Ardeth let him escape and took me on. He decided it was best to return to the Third city with me. Unfortunately, on the way Ardeth's wound began to get infected and we were forced to stop for two days in a small town called Oshan. He was healed and I was given these clothes. We left as soon as he was well and then made our way to the Third city. It was then that we found out that the Second city had invaded and he didn't think it was safe to stay there. So we decided to come here where it would be safe."

Felicity finished the partly true and partly false story wanting to wring her hands together in worry. Her father looked at her like he believed her and she thanked her brain for the last second idea to infuse the true story with small falsehoods. She was never good at lying through her teeth and often seemed to be the embodiment of the saying "liar liar pants on fire." But this time, she had done well.

She flicked her eyes to where Al Sah-him still kneeled on the floor, his eyes having dropped to the ground in front of him, head pushed down by a guard. On a closer than cursory examination (and having spent the last several days in only his company), Felicity saw muscles tense up, like a cat preparing to pounce. However, no one else noticed and she kept it to herself. He might just be nervous, but she hoped that he wouldn't try anything stupid.

"Felicity, we should alert Al Sa-her immediately of your presence here," her father said from his throne. Felicity wanted to rapidly shake her head. After all the events that had recently happened and all the information that had come to light, she found she trusted Al Sa-her less than she trusted Al Sah-him. However, she knew that it was unavoidable.

"Alright father, but please do not summon him here. Just tell him that I am safe and sound here. He will be busy trying to track down Al Sah-him for the next few months along with his duties as the surrogate king in his father's place until his coronation as the Demon's Head," Felicity said, the idea popping into her head split second.

"You have my word, dearest daughter. Now, as for this guard," he said condescendingly down at Al Sah-him.

~oOo~

Al Sah-him looked up at the man Felicity called father. Or he tried to. The annoying pressure of the palace guard's sweaty hand on his neck prevented him from looking up and directly meeting the king's gaze head on. When the king had first stared at him, and tilted his head to the side, he had suddenly been struck with a vision of when he was a boy, barely over eleven. He had been beaten in a fight and his father and stood over him, watching him with a detached curiosity and partial amusement. Al Sah-him, then Oliver, had found strength in his father's condescending look.

He had defeated all opponents that came against him for the rest of his time spent in Nanda Parbat.

It had been a shock to his system to enter Lian Yu and lose every fight miserably until he was strong enough for vengeance on those who had corrupted his home. But now, he had to control the ingrained instinct to please the father-figure in the room. He didn't want to take drastic actions simply because it would surprise the man and gain him either favor or dislike. It was crucial that he watch the scene before him unfold with patience, but with tensed muscles as well so he could be prepared to spring should the moment of action come.

He had been watching Felicity tell her "story" out of the corner of his eye. If she was any other person, he would have told her it was delivered flawlessly. But that was the problem. It was too practiced. Too perfect. The Felicity he knew would have rambled on and on for days. For a moment, he took his eyes off the king to stare at the floor in shock.

_The Felicity he knew?_

He was making sound like he had known her for years when he had only spent the last week and a half with her. Lost in thought, he only heard portions of the argument that filled the room.

"Father! You can't just execute him! After all he brought me here!"

"Yes, but it was under orders from a criminal! A murderer, Felicity!"

"I understand that, believe me! But he has no true loyalty to anyone!"

"That is exactly my point! He has no loyalty!"

"You don't know that!"

"I know one sure way to find out."

Looking down at Al Sah-him who had raised his eyes back up to the king, the older man narrowed his eyes at the younger.

"Ardeth, she claims you have loyalties. Answer truthfully, are you loyal to any man?"

The hand on the back of his neck disappeared so he could turn his head up to smirk at the king.

"Am I loyal to any man? No."

Before any other answer could be made, he lashed out, seizing the opportunity presented and throttling it. He kicked the legs of the guard nearest to him out from under him with a swift sweep of his leg. He removed a sizeable knife from his belt and back flipped away from the shocked guards.

Standing between Felicity and her father high on his throne, he clenched the knife in one hand and left his other hand relaxed at his side.

"However, I am loyal to a woman," he said, looking Felicity in the eye, trying to convey how deadly serious he was. To cement his decision, he lifted the knife and his free hand, running the blade's edge over the skin enough to pierce it. Scarlet seeped from the wound, but he didn't shake or flinch. Felicity stared at the gash with an open mouth like she couldn't believe what he was doing. The crimson liquid began to overflow in his hand and started to drip through the cracks between his finger. Quickly, he tore his shirt open over his heart and pressed his bloody hand to the exposed area, leaving a blotch of red on his chest. Dropping the knife, he reached a clean finger up and began to draw a symbol in the stain.

"I, Ardeth of the Third city, swear that until the lasting sun, moon, and stars fall from the sky, until the last drop of my blood is poured out onto the ground, until my dying breath, I shall defend you. With this oath in blood, I swear to you my life and loyalty," he said, finishing the symbol-a sun-and dropping his hand back to his side.

Felicity gasped and fainted.

**A/N: So, longer chapter this time...I think. Anyway, like I said before, I will be trying to update more frequently. PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON ME! I WILL SEE THIS THROUGH TO THE END! Also, author question, kind of a poll. Next chapter will be of Oliver explaining a little more of his past to Felicity, and getting set up as The Hood (he can't be called The Arrow because Al Sah-him means The Arrow and that would just be too suspicious). After that, I wanted to do one of two things: 1.) play through all the Arrow years with chapters (this means the story will take longer) or 2.) skip through the Arrow years and give a description of events and what happened during that time as well as the Olicity relationship progression. Let me know what you think or if you have any ideas. This story is already a far cry from what is originally started off as!**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Hood

After catching a falling Felicity and carrying her to her quarters, he was escorted back to the King's throne room and kneeled before the man, this time of his own accord. The man looked down at him with suspicion before speaking.

"You have sworn fealty to my daughter, and therefore her family. Thus you are now a soldier of my kingdom. However, because of your oath to my daughter, I will allow you to choose how you serve," Felicity's father said, rubbing his chin in thought. Al Sah-him considered the different options he found himself presented with.

Originally, he had simply planned on being something of a bodyguard for the princess, but he realized that the older man was correct. He had pledged his loyalty to the king of Starling's daughter which meant that he had to serve his new king. He mentally listed his best skills, coming up with something at the top.

"I am trained to be an assassin. I work best from the shadows and infiltration is what I do. I would be wasted as a soldier; I could do more in my learned trade than in a new one," he answered in all frankness. The king seemed to smile before he nodded.

"And your weapon of choice?" he inquired.

Al Sah-him, again Ardeth, smirked.

"A bow and arrow. I am well trained in use of many other weapons though, so a diverse arsenal is a good plan," he stated matter-of-factly. The king nodded and lifted his hand, motioning for him to rise.

"Very well, Ardeth, you will be the assassin of the crown. When you are not on a mission, your prerogative is to protect my daughter from harm. I will have the soldiers fit you with armor and show you the armory. I will send for you when it is time to be briefed for your first mission as an agent of Starling. For now, go check on your charge," the older man replied. He waved his hand in dismissal and Ardeth bowed deeply, crossing an arm over his chest before straightening to his full height and striding out of the throne room.

Despite having only walked to her quarters once, he had memorized the way there and hardly even thought about his destination until he reached her door. He intended to just barge in, but thought to knock in case Felicity was awake. Rapping lightly on the door to announce his presence, he turned the oval shaped silver doorknob and pushed inward. Looking inside, he saw a woman who looked about his age sitting on the edge of the bed.

Her head whipped around in his direction and she gasped at the sight of him. It was right about then that he realized how he looked. While someone had roped him into getting his hand disinfected and wrapped, he had been adamant that he keep an eye on the princess until he was again called to the king. Thus, the left side of his black shirt was still ripped away and his chest was visible, in all its bloody glory.

Literally.

It had coagulated a long time ago, forming an unnecessary scab on his chest. The smeared sun on his chest remained as well. He planned to visit a mark-man after his visit to the armory. Stepping into the room, he raised his hands to show he meant no harm. She relaxed and sat back down on the edge of the bed, but still swallowed.

"Excuse me; I am sorry if I startled you. How is she?" he asked, dropping his hands and pensively padding over to the bed so he wouldn't frighten the woman again. When he stood beside her, he crossed his arms over his chest and watched Felicity's face like a hawk.

"She's alright," the woman replied, "your antics just scared her senseless is all. She'll be on her feet in a few hours." Al Sah-him nodded and continued to watch his charge and considered the drastic turn his life had just taken. He overall was not fazed by the specifics of the deal, but he was more stunned at the fact that he had actually gone through with it. He had actually tied himself to Felicity for life.

He kept his expression stoic but inside he had no idea what to think of his actions. The best he could do was follow his new prerogatives, but also keep a slightly secret agenda of figuring out the mystery behind his father's death.

"So. Heard the story of how you two met. Pretty surprising that you stuck with her, considering you're an assassin with no loyalty," she said, her tone and words were both bold. He turned his head to look at her, an eyebrow raised quizzically as he leveled an irked stare at her. She matched his gaze for a moment before looking back at Felicity. "I'm surprised she didn't faint right off the bat."

He felt the part of him that was strangely protective of the young woman lying prone in the bed rise to the fore. He clenched his fists, accidentally digging his fingernails into the bandaged area of his right hand. He strangled the hiss that threatened to make itself known, and turned his eyes back to the Princess. After a moment of silence, a thought struck him.

"How do you know the princess?" he inquired, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the woman. She too had turned her face back to Felicity and looked back up at him, her face starting to take on an annoyed appearance. He could tell that she was considering a witty or sarcastic answer before actually preparing a decent one.

"We grew up together. We weren't the best of friends, but we were close nonetheless," she informed him. Ardeth nodded and kept the few questions he could have about her past to himself. It was none of his business who she chose as her friends.

"What are you here for really?" she asked him in a tight clipped voice. Once again, he looked down at her, perplexed.

"I don't understand."

"Oh come on. An assassin? How could you come here and just blood pledge your loyalty to a woman you hardly know?"

"There is more honor in my oath to Felicity than you believe."

"Oh really?"

"Laurel," a voice came from the door causing both parties to turn around, "don't get into an argument with him on his first day, please?" A man walked in, his short hair dark with bits of white tossed in here and there. He ushered Ardeth out of the room quickly, seemingly much to the chagrin of the woman, apparently named "Laurel."

~oOo~

Three hours later, Al Sah-him was trying on yet another set of armor that just didn't fit right. Either the gear was wrong or the body suit. He growled in frustration as yet another of the leather and cotton suits made it difficult to perform even the most menial of tasks. He wondered if the sleeve would rip should he notch an arrow in his bowstring and pull it taught. The material was aggravating as well, specifically, it rubbed against the already irritated area around his brand new sun tattoo.

It had also proven to be an informative afternoon as well. He learned that the man escorting him, Captain Quentin Lance, was the head of the security and intelligence division for Starling, and he was also the man whose legs he had kicked out from under him and whose knife he had procured. He had apologized. The man said he wouldn't hold it against him in the field. That didn't mean, however, that they would be on kind speaking terms when within city limits.

Stalking out of the changing area once more, he discarded the unwanted armor on the pile that had grown since they had arrived. Looking at the many more he had to go, he sighed. Then he looked closer. That suit. He liked that suit. It was light and looked easy to move in, but it also looked durable.

Soon, he was digging through the racks of clothing, searching for the things he wanted, not caring that he would be leaving incomplete outfits behind. Oh well, another man's trash is another man's treasure, so someone was bound to like it.

Once everything was strapped on and comfortably in place, he walked out of the soldier's changing rooms. Captain Lance was leaning against the wall, looking half asleep until he heard Ardeth's approach. He straightened up and even he had to crack a smile at the new soldier's look. It was a combination of effective and menacing. Ardeth thought he'd done well.

"Nice. I don't remember that being in the closet."

"It wasn't. I improvised."

"I think you're the only one of us who could get away with that sort of thing. Put the hood up, it makes you look more dangerous."

"You're probably right."

Al Sah-him did as he was told and reached up to pull the forest green hood over his head. It was darker than the normal lush green that he usually donned. The small mask that covered his mouth hung around his neck so he pulled it up to complete the intimidating look. Captain Lance put his hands on his hips and gave him a no-nonsense smile.

He jerked his head in a gesture for Ardeth to follow him and the latter complied, striding leisurely a few steps behind his sort-of-friend. The long hallways that wound around beneath the throne room, though they were not totally underground and light still shone through a few well-placed windows, reminded him of the corridors he had often walked, played, run, and even fought in when he was much younger and still lived in Nanda Parbat. However, unlike his one-time home, this place was far less centered around war and killing. The Assassin peoples' lives all but revolved around those two subjects.

They reached the armory without him realizing in, and Captain Lance had to wave a hand in front of his face to snap him out of the little trance he had unwittingly put himself in. he couldn't keep acting like this. He was supposed to be a cocky and uncouth yet deadly dangerous and silent Third City assassin, not a scatterbrained schoolboy who was bemoaning his decision to leave his home.

"What's a matter Hood? You leave a light on in Nonda Parabt or something?" he looked up at him, a slight amused gleam in his dark eyes, but his face lined with the beginnings of a father's worry. Al-Sah-him screwed his face up and pulled the small mask down before lowering the hood as well. He shook his head slightly before answering the man.

"It's Nanda Parbat, and I'm not sure. I get the feeling that I did though. I had friends. I left them behind," he said, deciding it would be best to change the subject. "So, why are we stopped?" he asked, deflecting the Captain's next question before he even said it.

"We are at the armory. When you earn yourself some trust, I'll give you the code, but for now," he reached over and, fast as lightning, whipped the green shoulder cape over Al Sah-him's head. The younger man flailed beneath the sea of dark green fabric, fighting his way out of the makeshift distraction.

When he finally freed himself, he glared hard at Captain Lance who was now standing by the open armory door chuckling quietly to himself. Deciding to let Ardeth out a little bit, he growled, "You're fortunate we happen to be friends." Captain Lance turned and raised his hands in mock surrender as he ushered the young assassin inside the room.

It was small and square, but weapons lined every feasible bit of wall, shelf, and table space. It was smaller than the assassin armory, but dare he say it, they were just as creative as the assassins with their weapons. The typical swords and bows lined the walls, but there were also shurikans, darts, blowguns, heavyweight spears, staffs, arrows with various tips, and most importantly a quiver that could hold an arsenal of about twenty. Briefly, he looked back hesitantly toward Captain Lance, like a child waiting with bated breath for their parent's approval. The man nodded and gestured for him to knock himself out.

Acting more stoic than he felt, he wandered around the room, searching for weapons he could use. He grabbed some darts, placing them in the small compartments on his wrists and belt. He selected a pair of escrima sticks that could be screwed together to make a staff. He filled the black quiver with opaque black arrows, and other spots on his belt were loaded with shurikans of the same color. At least six throwing knives were housed in both his boot and leg holsters. He examined every compound bow until he found one that he deemed strong enough to suit him for the time being. It was brand new and not as well-worn or tailored as his other one, which he had mistakenly left behind in his room in Nanda Parbat. He decided he could modify it as he saw fit later on.

When he was done and armed to the teeth, he exited the room and followed Captain Lance back up to the main floors. The man said his goodbyes and that he needed to return to his duties. Ardeth replied in kind and pulled his hood up again and wandered off down the corridors once again to the Princess's room.

This time he didn't bother to knock, wondering if he would scare Laurel. He turned the knob and entered the room, seeing that the shades were still drawn and the woman was gone. However, the washcloth and small bowl of water remained on the nightstand. He looked around the darkened room for a place to sit, seeing none. He ambled over to the bed and sat down on the edge, the mattress creaking beneath him.

Felicity was still asleep, but she looked like she had moved around as her golden hair was out of place and had drifted across her pillow. Suddenly, she shifted and her brow scrunched up. She swallowed and sighed, her blue eyes cracking open. She blinked a few times and took in a deep breath, which she let out slowly, only to inhale it again in a sharp gasp when she saw him.

She kicked her feet out from under the soft sheets in her scramble to push her as far away from him as she could. He raised his hands in a placating gesture, trying to get her to calm down. He supposed that the hood didn't help at all, not to mention the fact that he was covered in lethal weapons from head to foot.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's me, Princess. It's me," he said quietly, slipping a finger under the mask and pulling it down while using his other hand to push his hood back. She relaxed noticeably when she saw his face, removing her fingers from the headboard and lowering herself exhaustedly to the pillows her head had rested on mere moments before. Just as she had relaxed, she set her jaw and before he realized what she was doing…

**_SMACK_**

His head was whipped to the side as the searing hot pain throbbed through his cheek. He reached a gloved hand up to rub his jaw.

"_What was that for!?_" he shouted in a hopefully non-threatening tone.

Felicity had blushed and slapped both her hands over her mouth in surprise at her own actions.

"Omigosh, I am so sorry! I can't believe I just did that!"

Then

"DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN, YOU ASSASSIN SON-OF-A-CROSSBOW!"

Al Sah-him knew what she meant. She was talking about earlier, before she fainted. The blood oath. Still, it took all he had not to grin at her mock insult.

"Calm down, Princess. I won't have to," he said calmly, trying to restore peace to the once-quiet room. She sighed and slumped in on herself, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. Remembering something, she stopped and her hands both shot out to grab his left which rested in his lap. She held it in her hand and examined the bandage, making sure that he hadn't bled out in the time she had been asleep. Al Sah-him couldn't help but smile at her mothering.

~oOo~

While she continued to check her friend's self-injured hand, Felicity's memories of the moments preceding her fainting spell slowly returned and lost their fuzziness.

"_I, Ardeth of the Third city, swear that until the lasting sun, moon, and stars fall from the sky, until the last drop of my blood is poured out onto the ground, until my dying breath, I shall defend you. With this oath in blood, I swear to you my life and loyalty."_

She couldn't believe he had done something like that. Of course, he probably did it as a last ditch effort to save his skin in the event that her father decided to execute him. She would have done anything she could have to prevent it but she wasn't sure she would have been able to convince her father otherwise. Often when he made a decision, the outcome was final.

She tried not to think about what could have happened, and instead get the scoop from the refugee himself.

"So, what exactly did I miss?" she asked, dropping his hand and scooting back toward her pillows once again so she could look at him a little better. He had, quite obviously, gotten a change of clothes since she had last seen him. _He's picked up some weapons as well. I guess that's a good sign_, she thought. Her father wouldn't have given Ardeth weapons if he didn't have some basis for trust in the man.

"Well, your father and I discussed what I am to do in my time here. Since I am not trusted yet, and I doubt I will ever be, I have been conscripted to serve the crown of Starling. At least until your father, or, in a less than savory situation, you, die. I explained that I would serve him best as an assassin and that I would be wasted as a foot soldier. He agreed and conceded that, when not on a mission, I am to watch after you as your personal bodyguard," he was summarizing, she could tell.

Felicity nodded. The plan was sound. It made sense that her father would want Ardeth to prove himself. However, she still had one question that nagged in the back of her mind.

"How long?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"How long does that blood oath keep you here?"

"Princess, I-"

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT! YOU GAVE UP YOUR FREEDOM! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT FOR ME OR FOR YOURSELF!"

"I DID IT BECAUSE-BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE THAT YOU'RE SAFE! I DON'T TRUST MY BROTHER! Now that he's lined up to become the Demon's Head, he could do anything."

Felicity felt her sudden rush of anger fade until all that was left was the exhausted feeling of adrenaline no longer flowing into her bloodstream. They had been doing a lot of yelling lately. At least, she had. Why was she so angry at him? Why did she care so much? Right now, she couldn't make heads or tails of her feelings towards the assassin sitting barely a meter away from her.

"I did it because I want to stay," Al Sah-him said quietly, his head turned away, "I have nowhere else to go. The rest of my family is quick to make decisions and without proper evidence for my side of the story, they will have sided with my brother. I have no one to turn to right now. You are the only person I can trust, Ta'er Al Sa-fer."

Felicity was suddenly struck with the full weight of his situation. She had, admittedly, not considered the full scale of his "crimes" but from the way he stared off into the middle distance, a mixture of emotions clouding his eyes, she knew he had hardly thought about anything else in their entire time together. Any distraction she may have brought would have been welcome and happily received.

_Ta'er Al Sa-fer._

_Bird of happiness._

_Yellow bird of joy._

_Felicity._

_Intense happiness._

She understood the assassin nickname he had given her now. In his own silent and almost brooding way, he cared for her. Perhaps not as deeply as love, but this man was in desperate need of a friend. Embarrassed at her outburst, she blushed and turned away.

"Okay," she said, "I'll work with you on this. But first, you need to tell me one thing you think is important about you."

"My real name."

"Your **_real_** name? How many names do you have?"

"Just two, not including aliases. My birth name, my real name, is Oliver. Oliver Queen."

For a moment, Felicity had to stifle her laughter. Here was a big, tough assassin who had probably killed more people than she had ever met and his name was Oliver. She would have to ask him if anyone had ever called him "Ollie." But after a moment of looking at him a little more, she just replied:

"It suits you."

**A/N: HI GUYS! Sorry again about the constantly late updates(does that count as updating on time if by time you mean three weeks after the original deadline?) Anyway, so this chapter showed Laurel and Detective Lance in their respective positions and, in case any of you are wondering about his appearance, I can only give you a guideline as to how the cape looks. Check out the Justice League 3000's Green Lantern and tell me what you think. Most people chose option 2 for the poll last time, and that is what I decided to go for anyway, so the next chapter will most likely be an abbreviation of "The Arrow Years" as I have dubbed them. See you all (hopefully) next Sunday! =)**


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